Bhubaneswar, 23 March (H.S.): Odisha Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Monday assured that the state has sufficient stock of LPG cylinders and urged consumers not to panic amid concerns over gas availability.
Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, the minister said the state’s daily demand stands at around 2,000 LPG cylinders, while nearly 14,000 cylinders are available in reserve on average. He appealed to the public to avoid panic buying and assured that supply arrangements remain stable.
Patra also informed that steps are being taken to ensure adequate supply of cooking gas to hotels and restaurants. He said commercial establishments will soon receive improved LPG supply.
Earlier, the allocation of commercial LPG was limited to 20 percent, but the Central Government has now approved an additional 20 percent, making it easier for hotels and restaurants to access gas. Discussions are also underway to increase the allocation by another 10 percent, which could raise overall commercial LPG availability to around 50 percent of the demand, he added.
The minister further stated that commercial institutions will receive around 40 percent LPG supply from Monday. The Centre has set certain conditions for the additional 10 percent allocation, which the state government is currently working to fulfil.
He also clarified that the distribution of domestic LPG cylinders remains normal, and any complaints regarding supply are being addressed promptly by the concerned authorities.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
