The Union government has mandated that households using liquefied petroleum gas must shift to piped natural gas in areas where infrastructure and supplies for it are available.
The mandate comes amid disruptions in energy supplies to India since the conflict in West Asia broke out on February 28. Iran has effectively blocked the strategic Strait of Hormuz for most international commercial vessels. About 20% of global petroleum supply passes through the maritime chokepoint.
This has also affected LPG supplies in India. The country imports about 60% of its LPG demand, most of it from Gulf countries.
Due to the disruptions, the Union government has been appealing to consumers to switch to PNG if it is available, so as to take some pressure off LPG supplies. It has also offered additional commercial LPG allocation to states if they undertake measures to ease the expansion of the PNG network.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas notified the 2026 Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities Order under the Essential Commodities Act.
The order is aimed at accelerating pipeline infrastructure, easing approvals and promoting a shift from LPG to PNG to strengthen energy security. It states that LPG supply will cease after three months if a household does not opt for PNG despite availability.
The order, however, allows LPG supply to continue where it is technically unfeasible to provide a piped connection. This is subject to a no-objection certificate.
It further states that public authorities must grant right of way or permissions within prescribed timelines to facilitate rapid rollout, failing which approvals will be deemed granted. It also bars authorities from imposing charges beyond those specified.
Entities controlling access in residential areas must grant permissions within three working days, the order states, adding that last-mile PNG connectivity will have to be provided within 48 hours. It added that applications for pipeline connectivity in such areas cannot be rejected.
Addressing a press briefing, Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that entities authorised or holding licenses to retail PNG in a geographical area will send notices to LPG users about its availability, PTI reported.
The 2026 Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order provides a “streamlined and time-bound framework” to speed up pipeline laying and expand gas infrastructure, particularly in residential areas, to enhance last-mile connectivity and support a transition to cleaner fuels, she said.
The joint secretary further noted that there are around 60 lakh households in India that have PNG infrastructure available in their vicinity but continue to use LPG, The Indian Express reported.
So far in March, around 2.5 lakh new PNG connections, both domestic and well as commercial, have been provided and 2.2 lakh LPG uses have shifted to PNG, she added.
Also read: Why the LPG crisis is reviving pandemic fears among migrant workers
You’ve read Scroll.
Now help sustain it
Scroll is funded by readers, not corporate owners. If you believe our work matters, support our newsroom. Become a member today!
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!