Odisha Govt Orders Close Watch on LPG Supply to Colleges, Pushes PNG Adoption
Bhubaneswar: Amid concerns over the availability of cooking gas, the Odisha Higher Education Department has directed authorities to closely monitor the supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), especially those operating hostel kitchens and mess facilities.
The directive was issued through an official communication by Joint Secretary Dr. Sujata Subhadarshini Nayak to Regional Directors of Education in Balasore, Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Jeypore and Sambalpur.
The move follows discussions held during the second meeting of the State Crisis Management Group, where the issue of uninterrupted LPG supply to educational institutions was reviewed. Based on the observations of the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Higher Education Department, officials have been instructed to keep a close watch on fuel availability to ensure hostel operations remain unaffected.
Regional Directors have been asked to alert all colleges and universities under their jurisdiction about the ongoing LPG shortage and take necessary measures to address the situation. They have also been directed to establish and widely publicise dedicated departmental helpline numbers so institutions can promptly report any disruption in LPG supply.
The department has further instructed officials to ensure that complaints received from institutions are monitored regularly and resolved without delay.
In addition, the state government has advised all Higher Educational Institutions to shift to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections at the earliest wherever the infrastructure is available, reducing dependence on LPG.
The Higher Education Department has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from all Regional Directors by June 30, 2026, detailing the steps taken to implement the directives.
The initiative is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted hostel mess services and preventing inconvenience to students in the event of continued cooking gas shortages.
