Patna: The supply of 5kg LPG cylinders has increased in Patna district to address the cooking fuel crisis impacting the vulnerable. Patna additional district magistrate (supply) Ravindra Kumar Diwakar said this measure ensures migrant workers do not face problems during the current shortage.Nishi Kant, who owns gas agencies in Beur, Gardanibagh and Anisabad, said the demand for 5kg cylinders has risen in the last 20 days as the general supply scarcity increased the delivery backlog. He added that students and small street-side food shop owners are the primary buyers because the purchase requires no complicated documents or address proof. Kant said many households waiting for 14kg cylinder deliveries are also using the 5kg units as a backup to maintain their kitchens.Pricing for these cylinders fluctuates based on commercial rates. Kant said a first-time purchase cost Rs 1,515 last month compared with the current Rs 1,570, while refill prices rose from Rs 570 in March to Rs 626 presently. He added that his agencies sold and refilled approximately 25 to 30 units in the last week and received a fresh supply of 48 cylinders. Kant said all agencies have existing stocks of the 5kg cylinders and are receiving more to meet demand.Despite govt efforts, some workers report high informal costs. A househelp said she was asked to pay Rs 300 for a single kilogram of gas during a refill, which lasted her family three days.A gas agency owner in Kankarbagh said agency owners are dissatisfied with the 5kg notice. He added that agencies already held significant stock before the crisis and argued that the focus should be on decreasing the 14kg household backlog. He said 10 to 15 new bookings arrive every hour, adding 100 people to the waiting list daily. He added that migrant workers are not benefiting from the 5kg units due to price increases and often prefer alternate fuels like coal to save money.Patna DM Thiyagarajan S M, in an LPG review meeting on Thursday, confirmed that the LPG supply remains stable across the district, which currently serves 1,665,360 consumers through 136 gas agencies. Recent data shows that 25,000 to 30,000 bookings are made daily, while distribution rates range between 30,000 and 35,000 cylinders per day in the district. Regarding Piped Natural Gas (PNG), the administration is implementing a mission-mode expansion to increase accessibility, with Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) organising camps to facilitate domestic connections. The DM stated that there is no shortage of stock and emphasised that OMCs are delivering cylinders directly to homes to prevent crowding at the agency.
