Petroleum Ministry seeks administrative help for rapid PNG adoption in homes
New Delhi, August 23 – The Union Petroleum Ministry has requested that every state and union territory provide district‑level administrative assistance to accelerate the migration of domestic cooking fuel from LPG cylinders to piped natural gas (PNG).
Secretary Neeraj Mittal, heading the petroleum department, addressed chief secretaries, urging district officials to step in wherever pipeline networks exist. The purpose is to enforce a framework that disallows dual LPG‑PNG connections within a single dwelling.
The communication underlines PNG’s advantages: it is a safer, cleaner and more efficient cooking fuel that supports India’s energy‑transition agenda. Widespread PNG usage would ease the logistical strain on oil firms, improve consumer convenience, and optimise the usage of city‑gas distribution (CGD) infrastructure built through large‑scale public and private investment.
Prior efforts to promote PNG were intensified after the Strait of Hormuz crisis disrupted LPG supplies, which previously accounted for roughly half of India’s imports, creating a severe supply‑chain hurdle.
In response, the government issued an amendment to the Liquid Petroleum Gas (Supply and Distribution) Regulations, 2026, aiming to furnish extra relief and convenience to households opting for PNG.
During the crisis, about 7.99 lakh connections were gas‑ified, and infrastructure was prepared for a further 2.87 lakh connections, raising the total potential capacity to 10.86 lakh.
The ministry has now directed authorized CGD companies and public oil‑marketing corporations to form PNG Coordination Committees (PCC) across each geographic area. These committees will identify eligible housing societies, issue legal notices, and launch awareness drives to fast‑track PNG enrolment.
While PCCs are already operational, on‑ground experience shows that district‑level administrative cooperation is vital to meet the targeted timelines for the LPG‑to‑PNG shift. District officers are expected to assist societies in securing right‑of‑way or right‑of‑use, facilitate smoother transition between LPG distributors and CGD firms, aid verification, and help resolve consumer complaints.
The ministry points out that officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department are best placed to deliver this assistance, given their existing regulatory liaison with LPG distributors and their extensive grassroots presence.
State governments are asked to designate a nodal officer at the district level who will formally interface with the local PCC. The Petroleum Ministry reiterates its commitment to prioritise this programme and to expand PNG usage within the stipulated schedule.