Bhubaneswar: A high-level review meeting was held today under the joint chairmanship of the Hon’ble Minister of Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare, Krushna Chandra Patra, and the Minister of Housing & Urban Development, Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, to streamline the supply of LPG and petroleum products across Odisha.
The meeting, attended by Principal Secretary, Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department, Sanjay Kumar Singh and senior representatives from major oil and gas corporations, focused on accelerating the transition to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) and implementing rigorous digital safeguards to protect consumers.
During the meeting, Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra issued a stern warning against black-marketing and supply chain irregularities. To ensure transparency, gas agencies have been mandated to enforce biometric authentication, utilizing both fingerprint and iris scans for all deliveries.
The Minister also clarified that once a household receives a PNG connection, their existing LPG connection must be decommissioned to optimize resources. To facilitate this infrastructure shift, District Collectors have been tasked with providing full administrative support to gas companies to ensure the swift and unhindered laying of pipelines.
Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra emphasized the necessity of shifting urban centers away from heavy LPG dependency. He urged all government and commercial establishments to adopt PNG connections immediately, ensuring that the Housing & Urban Development Department would provide expedited clearances for such transitions. Highlighting the cultural significance of the state’s events, the Minister specifically directed officials to prioritize PNG infrastructure in Puri to meet the heightened demand expected during the upcoming Rath Yatra festival.
To combat the issue of “ghost deliveries” where consumers receive false delivery notifications, Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh directed agencies to ensure 100% compliance with the Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system. He reassured that there is no cause for panic regarding gas availability, as the government is monitoring the situation around the clock via a 24-hour control room.
Oil company officials confirmed that they are maintaining a consistent five-day buffer stock and are sharing real-time inventory data with the department daily. Moving forward, the state has identified schools, Anganwadis, Ahaar Kendra, and hospitals as priority sectors to receive uninterrupted gas supplies.
After the meeting, minister Patra told media that every household in the state’s urban areas will be connected to PNG, replacing the use of LPG cylinders, which are reportedly 13% more expensive than PNG. This initiative aims to provide a more reliable, cost-effective, and convenient cooking gas supply while reducing dependency on cylinders.
“The Centre has issued a directive to expand PNG connections in urban areas. We held discussions with oil companies today, and they have been directed to provide PNG connections in major cities within the next three months,” Patra said.
