Argus News - Breaking News: LPG Distribution Tightened amid West Asia Tensions, Rural Delivery Extended to 45 Days

Bhubaneswar, Mar 13: A high-level virtual meeting was convened on Friday under the chairmanship of the Secretaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Department of Consumer Affairs, with participation from principal secretaries of food supply and welfare departments across all states.

The meeting focused on ensuring the availability and transparent distribution of LPG (cooking gas) across the country.

Odisha’s Principal Secretary of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Sanjay Kumar Singh, along with senior officials, attended the meeting from the conference hall of the Supply Department. Discussions stressed on strict measures to prevent black marketing and highlighted the importance of booking and delivery through OTP verification to ensure transparency.

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Officials announced that in emergency situations, commercial LPG supplies will be restricted to 20% of previous usage, prioritizing households, hospitals, and essential institutions.

To address technical challenges, steps are being taken to increase server speed, which had slowed due to excessive booking traffic.

In rural areas, the delivery period has been extended to 45 days to accommodate logistical challenges. Enforcement squads have been deployed at the district level to monitor illegal storage and diversion of LPG cylinders, with strict vigilance against black market operators.

The government assured that strong measures are being implemented at both state and district levels to streamline LPG distribution. Citizens were urged not to panic, as adequate supplies are being maintained and monitored.

This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted cooking gas availability while maintaining transparency and fairness in distribution, especially during times of heightened demand amid West Asia tensions.