NEW DELHI
The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to provide district-level administrative support and appoint nodal officers to accelerate the adoption of piped natural gas (PNG) for cooking and industrial use.
Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal has written to state chief secretaries, asking them to coordinate with gas distributors and oil marketing companies to expand the PNG network and speed up household connections.
The government has also directed authorised city gas distribution companies and public-sector oil marketing companies to establish PNG coordination committees. These committees will identify eligible housing societies and households, organise outreach camps and facilitate faster connections.
Mittal said PNG is important to India’s energy transition and can reduce dependence on LPG cylinders. He highlighted its safety, cleaner fuel characteristics and convenience for consumers.
“PNG brings a safer, cleaner and more efficient cooking fuel, playing a critical role in advancing the country’s energy transition objectives,” Mittal said.
The Centre is also seeking administrative support for securing rights of way in housing societies, consumer verification, outreach and grievance redressal.
Officials said district-level coordination is essential to overcome local hurdles and expand pipeline infrastructure. Mittal has asked food and civil supplies departments to nominate a district-level nodal officer to work with local PNG coordination committees.
The government’s push follows concerns over LPG availability during the West Asia conflict, when disruptions to energy supplies increased pressure on domestic cooking fuel availability. Authorities had then encouraged greater PNG adoption and eased regulations to facilitate faster pipeline expansion.
The Centre is also working to prevent households from retaining both LPG and PNG connections in areas where piped gas is readily available.