Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stressed the need for seamless availability of food grains, medicines, fuel and other essential commodities during a review meeting at Lok Sabha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Chairing the video conference meeting, Majhi directed district collectors to keep enforcement squads in round-the-clock action mode to prevent any disruption in supply chains, black marketing, or hoarding in the wake of the ongoing West Asia conflict.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need for continuous monitoring of critical supplies, including petrol, diesel, LPG, fertilisers, and other essential goods, to avoid any shortage or artificial price hike. He sought detailed district-wise updates on preparedness measures and instructed officials to ensure adequate stocks are maintained at all times.
Majhi assured the public that there was sufficient stock of all essential items and that supply chains were functioning normally. He urged people not to panic and to ignore rumours that could create unnecessary fear.
Referring to the recent meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 27 with chief ministers across the country, Majhi called for working in the spirit of “Team India” during such challenging times. He expressed serious concern over the spread of misinformation, particularly on social media, and directed authorities to take strict action against rumour-mongers who attempt to disturb public peace.
To strengthen the state’s crisis response mechanism, the government has already constituted Crisis Management Groups at both state and district levels. Majhi stressed the importance of seamless coordination among these groups for ensuring uninterrupted supply of essential commodities.
The meeting was attended by Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner DK Singh, senior officials from the Home, Urban Development, Labour & ESI, and Information & Public Relations departments and DGP Y B Khurania.
In a related development aimed at safeguarding the state’s flagship Aahaar programme, the Housing & Urban Development Department has issued comprehensive directives to ensure uninterrupted supply of cooking gas to Aahaar kitchens across Odisha.
Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua has written to all Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, and Presidents of District and City Aahaar Societies, asking them to immediately assess cooking gas availability in their jurisdictions and maintain close coordination with gas suppliers and distributors.
At present, 170 Aahaar Kendras, supported by around 90 centralised kitchens, are providing affordable and nutritious meals to thousands of beneficiaries daily. The directive focuses on strengthening last-mile logistics and inter-agency coordination to prevent any disruption in meal preparation and distribution.
