New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) In a bid to let customers see the quantum of cooking gas being sold by oil retail companies, the government has approved a pilot project for the launch of translucent containers of the fuel in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Pune.

'If successful, translucent liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders would be launched throughout the country,' Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora told the Lok Sabha in written reply Thursday.

'The approval is subject to there being no subsidy element in the liquefied petroleum gas to be marketed through these composite cylinders,' Deora added.

He said a global tender for procurement of translucent cylinders has been invited by oil companies that was under evaluation. Only after finalisation of the tender will the cost of the proposed translucent fibre glass cylinders be known, he said.

'The composite cylinders are translucent and will show the level of liquefied petroleum gas present in it. Handling of these cylinders would also be easier as they are lighter in weight than steel cylinders.'