Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday clarified that there is no shortage of petrol and diesel in the state and assured people that fuel filling stations are functioning normally across the State.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said there is sufficient stock of petrol and diesel both in the state and across the country, dismissing concerns over any immediate fuel crisis.
“There is no shortage of petrol and diesel in the state. No filling station has been closed anywhere. Fuel is available everywhere and whoever needs fuel will get it,” the Minister said.
He added that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and clarified that the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department has not issued any instruction to shut down fuel stations.
Patra, however, said that fuel consumption needs to be regulated in view of the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, which may affect fuel supplies and prices in the future.
“The Prime Minister’s statement should not be misunderstood. There is a need to bring some control over petrol consumption because of the Middle East war. There may be fuel-related problems in the future and prices may gradually increase,” he said.
The Minister further stated that the government is bearing additional costs to ensure that poorer sections of society are not adversely affected by any possible rise in fuel prices.
Appealing to people to act responsibly, he also said that citizens have been advised to avoid unnecessary purchases of gold for some time in order to help strengthen the country’s economy.
