Bhubaneswar, 16 May (H.S.) Odisha Supply Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Saturday assured the public that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or cooking gas in the state, urging people not to panic over fuel availability.

Addressing concerns over long queues at petrol pumps, the minister said the situation arose due to public misunderstanding following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to reduce fuel consumption, as India imports petroleum products.

“We do not have any shortage of petrol, diesel, or gas in Odisha. The Prime Minister appealed to people to reduce the usage of petrol and diesel because we import them. However, this was taken the wrong way by the public, leading to panic buying and long queues at fuel stations,” Patra said.

He further stated that Odisha currently has fuel reserves sufficient for 13 days and also houses the Paradip refinery, ensuring uninterrupted supply across the state.

“There is no need to panic. We have adequate stock of petrol and diesel,” the minister added.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda