Launch of National PNG Drive 3.0

  • The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) launched the National PNG Drive 3.0 on its 20th Foundation Day (1st October 2026).
  • Objective: Accelerate the nationwide transition from Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to Piped Natural Gas (PNG).
  • Aligns with India's broader energy security and sustainability goals.

Key Targets for FY 2027

  • Add 50 lakh new domestic-PNG (D-PNG) connections.
  • Convert 40 lakh unbilled connections into active users.
  • Register an additional 50 lakh users.

Performance of PNG Drive 2.0 (January - June 2026)

  • Achieved 12.10 lakh new DPNG connections.
  • 13.37 lakh billed connections.
  • 15.31 lakh DPNG registrations.

Significance

Energy Security and Sustainability

  • PNG supports increasing natural gas's share in India's primary energy mix from around 6%.
  • Promotes cleaner-burning fuels, diversified energy access, and reliable household energy supply.

Environmental & Climate Goals

  • Directly aligns with India's net-zero commitments and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Increases the share of natural gas in the national energy basket.

Geopolitical Catalyst

  • The transition gained momentum during the West Asia crisis to reduce reliance on LPG.
  • LPG supplies are highly vulnerable to disruptions along critical maritime choke points like the Strait of Hormuz.

Government Policy Incentives

  • The Petroleum Ministry is incentivizing City-Gas Distributors (CGDs) by allocating an additional 200 standard cubic metres (SCM) of lower-priced Administered Price Mechanism (APM) natural gas for every incremental billed D-PNG connection.

Infrastructure Optimization

  • Focus on gasification and maximum utilization of India's existing 6.9 lakh inch-kms of laid pipeline.
  • This infrastructure has the capacity to cater to 1.3 crore additional connections.

Key Learnings from Drive 2.0

  • Identified a critical gap between connected and billed users.
  • Need for localized strategies: focusing on affordability and awareness in emerging geographical areas (GAs) and service-level engagement in mature markets.

About PNGRB

  • PNGRB is a statutory body established under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006.
  • It regulates the refining, processing, storage, transportation, distribution, marketing, and sale of petroleum products and natural gas.

Way Forward

  • The drive aims to enhance energy access, reduce import dependency, and promote sustainable energy practices.
  • Successful implementation will require coordinated efforts from all stakeholders.