Govt Extends PNG Drive 2.0 Till June to Boost Piped Gas Adoption

New Delhi, Apr 1 (KNN) The government has extended the National Piped Natural Gas (PNG) Drive 2.0 by three months until June 30, aiming to accelerate the adoption of piped gas amid supply constraints of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the country.

The initiative, which was earlier scheduled to conclude on March 31, is part of efforts to increase the share of natural gas to 15 per cent in India’s energy mix. 

Under the programme, the government plans to expand pipeline connectivity to 37 additional geographical areas and 44 districts that are currently not connected to the PNG network, according to Business Standard.

More than 3.1 lakh new PNG connections were added in March across domestic and commercial segments, while an additional 2.7 lakh connections were issued during the same period, as per government data.

The push for piped gas adoption comes amid challenges in securing LPG supplies due to ongoing tensions in West Asia. The government has been encouraging consumers in areas with existing infrastructure to transition to PNG and has indicated the possibility of restricting LPG supply for those who do not switch.

City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies have introduced incentives to support the transition. Indraprastha Gas Limited and GAIL Gas Limited are offering free gas worth around Rs 500 for domestic users, while Mahanagar Gas Limited has waived registration charges for households and security deposits for commercial consumers. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited has also announced a waiver of security deposits for commercial PNG connections.

In parallel, to ensure adequate availability of cooking fuel, the government has temporarily relaxed kerosene distribution norms for 60 days. Select petrol pumps operated by state-run oil marketing companies have been permitted to distribute kerosene, including in 21 states and Union Territories previously designated as “kerosene-free.”

(KNN Bureau)