Patna, March 16 The Bihar government on Monday asserted that there is no shortage of LPG, petrol, or diesel in the state, warning of strict action against hoarding and black marketing.
The assurance came during a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit.
According to a statement issued by the Cabinet Secretariat Department, representatives of major oil and gas companies attended the meeting in person, while district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police (SPs) participated through video conferencing.
"The supply of domestic LPG, piped natural gas (PNG), petrol, and diesel remains uninterrupted across the state," it said.
The claim was supported by Executive Director (Bihar-Jharkhand) of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Anup Kumar Samantaray, and representatives of other petroleum companies, who said there were adequate stocks of fuel and cooking gas in the state.
The statement said that the supply and distribution of domestic LPG cylinders, which account for about 98.5 per cent of the state's total gas consumption, are continuing normally.
However, as a precautionary measure, the supply of commercial LPG has been temporarily restricted under the prevailing circumstances, it said.
Hospitals and educational institutions have been exempted from the restriction to ensure uninterrupted supply.
Amrit directed all DMs and SPs to strictly curb black marketing, hoarding, and unauthorized commercial use of domestic LPG cylinders.
He asked district officials to conduct regular inspections of gas agencies, warehouses, and distribution networks and initiate immediate legal action against those found violating the rules.
The chief secretary also directed that special control rooms be set up in all districts to address consumer complaints promptly.
He urged citizens not to pay heed to misleading information or resort to panic booking of LPG cylinders.
Amrit also asked officials to regularly update verified information on district social media pages to counter rumors and ensure accurate dissemination of information.
District Public Relations Officers (DPROs) and Additional District Magistrates (Supply) were also directed to hold daily press briefings in all districts to keep the people informed, the statement said.