Bhubaneswar, Jan 5 (IANS): Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Monday launched the sale of subsidised five-kg cooking gas cylinders under Free Trade LPG Scheme, benefiting Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and others.

He also launched a new scheme providing concession of Rs.1,600 to BPL families on new gas connections in the country. The move is aimed to make cooking gas easily available to consumers.

"While the subsidised five-kg LPG cylinder will be available only at regular LPG distributor, market-priced cooking gas cylinders can be bought without prior booking and minimal paper work at petrol pumps, gas agencies and some grocery stores," he said here after launching the scheme.

The consumers will avail the benefits till the end of March 2015, the minister said.

He said the government is also considering to provide one-kg, two-kg, three-kg gas cylinders to the poor people. The minister stressed on bringing the gas penetration in Odisha at par with national level.

While Odisha has around one crore households, the gas connections number only 25 lakh, far below the national average.