India Pushes States to Speed Up Household Transition to Piped Gas

The Indian government has directed states and Union Territories to appoint nodal officers at the district level to facilitate the transition of households from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG) for cooking purposes.

This move comes in response to the disruption caused by the West Asia crisis earlier this year, which affected India's LPG supply chains. The Petroleum Ministry has asked states and UTs to provide administrative support to accelerate the shift towards PNG, citing its benefits as a safer, cleaner, and more efficient cooking fuel.

The ministry has also notified orders that prohibit households from retaining simultaneous LPG and PNG connections and require them to discontinue LPG supply if they fail to apply for a PNG connection despite due notice. To promote faster adoption of PNG, the government has established a PNG Coordination Committee (PCC) in every geographical area.

The PCC will identify eligible housing societies and households, issue statutory notices, conduct outreach camps, and resolve consumer grievances. The district administration is expected to provide support in securing right of way or use from RWAs and housing societies, facilitating the transition between LPG distributors and CGD entities, supporting consumer outreach and verification, and resolving consumer grievances.

The ministry has asked states to nominate one nodal officer at the district level, not below the rank of district supply officer, to be formally associated with the local PCC. States have also been asked to provide the names, designations, and contact details of the nominated officers so that PCC members can coordinate with them.