New Delhi : The government has ordered that LPG supply will be cut off if consumers fail to switch to piped natural gas where it is available, and the clock is already ticking. Under the new order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on March 24, households will have just three months to opt for PNG once notified.
India is grappling with an LPG shortage triggered by the ongoing war in West Asia, which has disrupted supplies from key sources and impacted global energy flows. The government is now nudging households and commercial users towards PNG, which is seen as more reliable due to diversified sourcing and domestic production.
The order makes it clear. Once an authorised entity informs a household that PNG is available, the switch is no longer optional. The LPG supply to such an address shall cease after three months from the date of the communication,” the order says. There is a caveat. LPG will continue only if it is “technically infeasible” to provide a PNG connection, subject to a no-objection certificate issued by the supplier.
Permissions for laying pipelines must now be granted within fixed timelines, failing which they will be deemed approved. Authorities are barred from imposing additional charges beyond those prescribed. In housing complexes, access must be granted within three working days, while last-mile PNG connections are to be provided within 48 hours. Applications cannot be rejected. Designated officers can step in to resolve disputes over land access, with authority similar to a civil court.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board has been tasked with monitoring implementation, tracking approvals and ensuring adherence. At its core, the policy aims to free up LPG supplies in areas where PNG is already available and redirect them to regions that still lack pipeline infrastructure. Oil Secretary Neeraj Mittal called it “a crisis turned into an opportunity”, pointing to broader reforms aimed at easing business processes and strengthening energy security.
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