PATNA, April 8 -- Bihar is currently facing an average backlog of around 4.5 days in LPG refills, a situation expected to persist amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. However, oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Tuesday maintained that supplies of LPG and petroleum products remain stable and fully under control, while urging consumers to refrain from panic booking. Addressing a press conference, Anup Kumar Samantaray, executive director and state head of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bihar, said nearly 3.8 lakh LPG refills are being delivered daily through 2,028 distributors and 15 bottling plants - nine operated by OMCs and six by private players - to approximately 23.3 million consumers across the state. "The backlog is being cleared as per the scheduled booking list, and supply remains completely stable," he said. In the state capital, Patna, the backlog stood at around 1.69 lakh LPG refills as of Tuesday. Samantaray said commercial LPG allocation is currently being maintained at 70% of the annual demand of establishments, with priority given to essential sectors such as hospitals, educational institutions, defence establishments, railways, government offices, hotels, restaurants, industrial canteens and food processing units. Daily monitoring is being carried out to ensure smooth distribution. Highlighting efforts to streamline delivery and curb diversion, he said 93% of LPG bookings are now made through digital platforms, up from 70% two months ago. Compliance with the delivery authentication code (DAC) has also risen sharply to 90% from 40% in the same period. Consumers have been advised to book cylinders digitally and share the DAC at the time of delivery to ensure transparency. On the piped natural gas (PNG) front, Samantaray said around 1 lakh connections have been provided across the state, including nearly 8,000 added in the past month. Expansion of the network is being expedited through faster approvals and coordination with local authorities, which is expected to reduce dependence on LPG in urban areas. During recent enforcement drives by the state government, 2,085 LPG cylinders were seized, 119 FIRs registered and 38 arrests made in connection with irregularities. Responding to concerns over tamper-proofing of LPG cylinders, Samantaray said all cylinders already carry tamper-evident seals at bottling plants, adding that OMCs would examine further suggestions to strengthen safeguards. Officials also highlighted the availability of 5-kg free-trade LPG cylinders, particularly for students and migrant workers, which can be purchased without registration upon submission of identity proof. Saurabh Chandra, chief general manager (LPG), IOCL Bihar, said these 5-kg cylinders are BIS-certified and available at an all-inclusive cost of around Rs.1,750, including the cylinder, gas and regulator. He cautioned against the use of non-certified cylinders, citing safety risks and recalling a fatal blast in Muzaffarpur about six months ago. On the petroleum front, the state continues to receive uninterrupted supplies, with an average daily availability of 4,554 kilolitres of petrol and 9,121 kilolitres of diesel through 3,697 retail outlets and eight depots. Current stock levels stand at around 12 days for both petrol and diesel. Meanwhile, the agriculture department said fertiliser availability remains adequate across all districts. District magistrates have been directed to conduct regular reviews, while inspections of fertilizer, seed and pesticide outlets are being carried out through a dedicated app along with physical stock verification. Authorities have intensified enforcement in border districts in coordination with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) to check smuggling. Action has been taken against errant traders, with FIRs lodged against 12 establishments, licences of 15 cancelled and 92 suspended. Officials said the government's crackdown on black marketing and hoarding is ongoing....