As the West Asia conflict continues to impact LPG supplies with no near-term respite, the Ministries of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) and Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on Thursday held a review meeting to focus on PNG expansion in more than 150 high-priority districts, targeting 30 lakh connections.
Oil Secretary Neeraj Mittal and MoHUA Secretary Srinivas Katikithala chaired the joint review meeting through video conferencing with state Urban Development Secretaries, state Civil Supplies Departments, District Magistrates, and Municipal Commissioners/Executive Officers of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), MoHUA said.
Poll-bound states such as Tamil Nadu and West Bengal were not part of the high-level meeting, it added.
All States/UTs and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have been directed to facilitate the establishment of a single-window, time-bound approval mechanism for PNG-related works.
Prioritising PNG
“The meeting focused on accelerating the expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) infrastructure in 110 identified focus GAs, while also strengthening last-mile connectivity in view of the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia,” MoHUA said.
The deliberations also focused on the need to immediately prioritise providing household PNG connections in areas where pipeline infrastructure is already in place, with a focus on unlocking the existing potential by targeting nearly 30 lakh connections in such areas, it added.
As per the MoPNG, there are 60 lakh liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections near operating piped natural gas (PNG) networks and can easily migrate to piped gas.
Katikithala stressed the need to scale up the broader unmet potential of nearly 60 lakh PNG connections through focused campaigns and streamlined processes.
A saturation approach was proposed for major cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Lucknow, Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Surat and Varanasi to achieve near-universal PNG coverage by ensuring comprehensive network expansion and maximising household connections.
Representatives of City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities operating in the identified areas were also present. The meeting witnessed participation from officials across more than 110 GAs, covering over 190 districts and more than 300 municipalities/ urban authorities.
Besides, District Magistrates/Collectors from over 150 districts and Municipal Commissioners/Executive Officers from more than 260 Urban Local Bodies participated in the deliberations.
Expanding network
The latest deliberation was a follow-up to the roundtable review meeting on the expansion of PNG services and the maintenance of essential services in urban areas held on March 28, 2026. It was chaired by Ministers from MoHUA, MoPNG, and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAFPD).
Katikithala directed States and ULBs to facilitate mapping of PNG pipeline networks, accelerate the expansion of household PNG connections, and focus on tapping unmet demand in the identified GAs to ensure greater access to safe, convenient, and affordable fuel, thereby improving the quality of life and ease of living for urban households.
All Districts/ULBs were directed to prepare a time-bound three-week action plan with ward-wise targets, identification of priority areas and clear timelines for approvals and execution.
ULBs should prioritise areas where pipeline infrastructure is already available, high-demand locations and group housing societies to achieve quick results. Fast-tracking permissions in such areas was emphasised to demonstrate immediate progress, Katikithala said.
Mittal clarified that the Natural Gas & Petroleum Product Distribution Order – 2026 (March 24, 2026) supersedes all previous notifications regarding gas supply.
Suitable directions have also been issued to all States/UTs and ULBs to relax procedural norms, wherever feasible and to expedite the rollout of PNG connections in a time-bound manner, the Oil Secretary stated.
A Dedicated MIS/portal will be developed for daily monitoring of PNG expansion. ULBs will ensure daily reporting on the portal to ensure transparency and accountability. CGD entities were directed to map their PNG pipeline networks on the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan portal for coordinated planning, population projects and integration of underground utility networks.
Overall, the meeting stressed the urgency of scaling up PNG connections from the current pace to a significantly higher level through coordinated and sustained efforts.
Strengthened Centre–State–District collaboration, focused interventions in high-potential urban areas, enhanced consumer awareness, robust coordination mechanisms and technology-enabled monitoring frameworks for ensuring that benefits of PNG reach eligible households and establishments in a timely and efficient manner.