The Petroleum Ministry has asked States and Union Territories to provide district-level administrative support to accelerate the shift of households from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG), seeking the appointment of nodal officers to coordinate with gas distributors and oil marketing companies.
“PNG brings a safer, cleaner and more efficient cooking fuel, playing a critical role in advancing the country’s energy transition objectives. Its accelerated adoption contributes to reducing the logistics burden associated with LPG distribution, enhancing consumer convenience, and improving utilisation of CGD infrastructure created through substantial public and private investment,” Mr. The Ministry is seeking district-level intervention as it moves to implement a regulatory framework aimed at preventing households from retaining both LPG and PNG connections in areas where piped gas is available.
In an August 21 letter to State Chief Secretaries, Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal said PNG, as a safer, cleaner and more efficient cooking fuel, has an important role in advancing India’s energy transition while reducing the logistics burden associated with LPG distribution and improving consumer convenience.
Mittal said in the letter.
The disruption forced the government to prioritise domestic LPG supplies, with commercial and industrial consumers facing restrictions before supplies were progressively restored. India has since moved to diversify its LPG sourcing, including higher purchases from the U.S. and Algeria, as it seeks to reduce its exposure to disruptions in Middle Eastern supplies. To promote faster PNG adoption, the government has notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Orders of 2026 and LPG Control Orders under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
Because of their existing regulatory interface with LPG distributors and their field-level administrative reach, the Ministry said officials of the Department of Food and Civil Supplies are best placed to provide this support.
The ministry said the PCC mechanism is already operational but its experience so far shows that district-level administrative support is crucial for implementing the transition within prescribed timelines.
