India23 Aug · 8h ago

Centre asks states to appoint district nodal officers to speed up LPG-to-PNG shift

The central government has asked states and union territories to appoint district-level nodal officers to accelerate household transition from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG) in areas where the network exists. A letter from Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal to chief secretaries highlights the need for administrative coordination among gas distributors, oil marketing companies, and consumers.

The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to appoint district-level nodal officers to help accelerate the shift of households from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG) in areas where the network is available. In an August 21 letter to state chief secretaries, Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal said district-level administrative support was essential for coordinating between city gas distribution (CGD) entities, oil marketing companies (OMCs) and consumers. The letter said PNG brings a safer, cleaner and more efficient cooking fuel and plays a critical role in advancing the country's energy transition objectives. It added that accelerated adoption contributes to reducing the logistics burden associated with LPG distribution, enhancing consumer convenience, and improving utilisation of CGD infrastructure. The move comes after the government notified a regulatory framework aimed at preventing households from retaining both LPG and PNG connections where piped gas is available.

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