Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday stressed the importance of strengthening the PNG infrastructure in the country to enhance energy security and resilience.
He was participating in a Roundtable Review Meeting on “Expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) Services and Maintaining Essential Services” in urban areas held here. It brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on accelerating PNG network expansion across urban India and ensuring uninterrupted delivery of essential services in the wake of the West Asia crisis.
The meeting was also attended by Union Ministers of Housing and Urban Affairs and Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution and senior officials from different ministries and various agencies. Ministers from several States, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana and Odisha participated in person, while representatives from Telangana, Karnataka and Rajasthan joined virtually in the roundtable.
A detailed presentation by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas outlined the current status of PNG rollout, emphasising its advantages over LPG in terms of safety, reliability, affordability and environmental sustainability. Key challenges identified included delays in municipal permissions, Right of Way (RoW) approvals and high restoration charges, which continue to impede timely network expansion.
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal underscored the critical role of cities as engines of economic growth and called for mission-mode implementation to accelerate PNG expansion.
He outlined key priorities, including institutionalisation of single-window approvals, integration of PNG infrastructure into urban planning, facilitation of last-mile connectivity and convergence with ongoing urban development initiatives. An ambitious target of providing 50 lakh new PNG connections was also highlighted.
The Petroleum Minister highlighted the evolving global energy landscape and encouraged states and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to actively promote PNG adoption, particularly in areas where infrastructure is already available.
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi emphasised the need to maintain uninterrupted essential supplies, curb misinformation, and prevent black marketing of fuel. He advised states to strengthen monitoring and vigilance mechanisms and to encourage consumers to transition from LPG to PNG wherever feasible, with priority given to public institutions such as schools and colleges.
Deliberations during the roundtable highlighted several best practices, including fast-tracking of road-cutting permissions and adoption of deemed approval mechanisms to expedite project implementation.
State representatives shared their experiences and emphasised the importance of enhanced coordination among Urban Development Departments, Municipal bodies, and Food and Civil Supplies Departments for seamless implementation.
There was broad consensus on facilitating a phased and structured transition from LPG to PNG in areas with existing infrastructure, supported by adequate consumer awareness and safeguards to prevent disruption of essential services.