Bhubaneswar: A day after food supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra announced an immediate ban on the sale of 5kg LPG cylinders in open market, the department on Monday clarified that students and migrant workers can procure them from authorised distributors.Food supplies and consumer welfare department principal secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh said the 5kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders are being made available by oil marketing companies in the state. “Students and migrant workers can obtain these cylinders from authorised distributors by presenting a valid identity proof. No address proof is required,” Singh said, adding oil marketing companies are organising special camps at various locations to provide connections on the spot.Clarifying the minister’s statement, Singh said that in order to ensure public safety, the restriction applies only to vendors illegally procuring such cylinders from the open market. The department is taking strict action against unauthorised sellers.Nodal officer for oil companies, Kamalsheel, said that while domestic cylinders are being facilitated through e-KYC, both the govt and oil companies are ensuring a seamless supply chain and protecting consumers from exploitative illegal trade. “The 5kg FTL cylinders are the most convenient option as they do not require a permanent address proof,” he said.On the overall fuel situation, Singh said that there is no shortage of LPG, petrol or diesel in the state. While domestic LPG supply remains stable, commercial gas supply is also returning to normal, with 70% availability already achieved. Additionally, 20% of supply is being prioritised for institutions such as hospitals, schools, hostels and Aahaar Kendras. District collectors are leading specialised committees to monitor the situation locally and ensure that any logistical hurdle is resolved immediately,” he said.The department has intensified enforcement to curb black marketing and illegal hoarding.Singh said officials have conducted inspections at 1,633 locations so far, seizing 3,105 cylinders and registering 288 cases. He urged citizens to use digital booking services to ensure transparency. Oil marketing companies have reaffirmed that sufficient stock is available at dealer and distributor levels to meet the demand, he said.Meanwhile, LPG distributors in the city said both 2kg and 5kg cylinders are available at authorised outlets and also being delivered at doorsteps. A 5kg cylinder costs around Rs 1,500, while a refill is priced at approximately Rs 930.“If a consumer brings a 5kg cylinder for refill, it will be exchanged, as refilling is done only at plants and not at agencies,” said distributor Pratham Nayak. He added that refilling at unauthorised retail outlets is unsafe and consumers often get underweight cylinders.
