Bhubaneswar, 13 March (H.S.): A virtual meeting was held today under the chairmanship of the Secretaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Department of Consumer Affairs to review the availability and smooth distribution of cooking gas (LPG) across the country. Principal Secretaries of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Departments from all states participated in the meeting.

The meeting, attended by senior officials including the Principal Secretary of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department, Sanjay Kumar Singh, emphasized ensuring transparent, efficient, and uninterrupted LPG distribution. Strict instructions were issued to prevent black marketing and to strengthen booking and delivery systems through OTP-based authentication.

Authorities announced that in emergency situations, commercial LPG supply will be provided at 20 percent of the previously allocated usage to ensure priority needs are met. To address delays caused by high booking volumes and server slowdowns, efforts are underway to upgrade system capacity and improve server speed.

The delivery period in rural areas has been extended to 45 days to streamline distribution and ensure wider accessibility. The meeting also directed all states and districts to take strong measures to regulate LPG distribution and curb illegal storage and hoarding. Enforcement squads have been deployed at the district level to monitor and take action against black marketing activities.

Officials urged the public not to panic, assuring that adequate LPG stocks are available and that the government is closely monitoring the supply situation to ensure stability and transparency.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda