Dharmendra Assures Subsidized Kerosene Supply To Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday assured the Odisha government provision of additional 1,000 kilolitres (kl) of subsidized kerosene for distribution among affected families in the cyclone-hit coastal districts.

In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Union minister said that cost of the additional 1,000kl of subsidized kerosene is Rs 3.2 crore, which a PSU under the PNG ministry will hand over to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) through which the state government will be able to procure for its requirement.

“Apart from this, the PNG ministry has earmarked another 1,000kl, which the Odisha government can lift if it wants to,” he said.

Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had in a letter to the Union minister on April 10 requested release of an additional 1,000kl of subsidised kerosene for supply to Puri district, as absence of electricity has led to a surge in demand for kerosene by residents.

“As a special case, this stock may be provided to wholesalers by the oil companies free of cost, so that we can distribute it to the affected people without any charge. This quota will be lifted and distributed in the month of May,” the chief minister had said.