Odisha Mandates Biometric Gas Delivery, PNG Push Ahead of Rath Yatra

The high-level review meeting was held under the joint chairmanship of the Minister of Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare, Krushna Chandra Patra, and the Minister of Housing & Urban Development, Krushna Chandra Mahapatra here.​

The meeting, attended by Principal Secretary, Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department, Sanjay Kumar Singh and other senior officials, focused on accelerating the transition to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) and implementing rigorous digital safeguards to protect consumers. ​

During the meeting, Food Supplies Minister Patra issued a stern warning against black-marketing and supply chain irregularities.​

The state government, in a statement, revealed that to ensure transparency, gas agencies have been mandated to enforce biometric authentication, utilising both fingerprint and iris scans for all deliveries.​

The Food Supplies Minister also clarified that once a household receives a PNG connection, their existing LPG connection must be decommissioned to optimise resources.​

The District Collectors have been tasked with providing full administrative support to gas companies to facilitate the infrastructure shift for ensuring the swift and unhindered laying of pipelines.​

Meanwhile, the Urban Development Minister Mahapatra, who was also present in the meeting, emphasised the necessity of shifting urban centres 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 prioritise 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 Singh directed agencies to ensure 100 per cent compliance with the Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system.​

He also 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.​

Additionally, the state govt has identified schools, Anganwadis, Ahaar Kendra, and hospitals as priority sectors to receive uninterrupted gas supplies.​

- IANS