Amid LPG Crisis, Haryana Striving To Shift Commercial Connections To PNG; Infrastructure Gaps A Challenge

Panchkula: Amid a nationwide LPG crisis in view of the West Asia conflict, Haryana government is striving to shift the commercial and industrial sectors' dependence from LPG to Piped Natural Gas(PNG), but infrastructure gaps remain a challenge.

Across the country, Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) is predominantly used for cooking in households. Although there is a concerted effort in various states to promote the use of Piped Natural Gas (PNG), its expansion remains relatively slow due to geographical and other technical constraints. In Haryana, the reliance remains heavily centered on LPG.

LPG cylinders at a plant in Haryana (ETV Bharat)

Emphasis On Transitioning From LPG To PNG

While the state government is striving to shift the commercial and industrial sectors' dependence from LPG to PNG, the current reality suggests that significant work remains to be done to resolve technical and practical complexities in order to expedite the expansion of PNG infrastructure. To achieve this, there is a need for enhanced coordination—operating in a "fast-track mode"—between the state government and all petroleum companies currently supplying gas within Haryana.

Surender Saini, Nodal Officer for the Food and Supplies Department told ETV Bharat that Haryana relies primarily on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) adding there are approximately 8,328,733 LPG consumers across the state. This figure represents the combined consumer base of all gas companies currently operating within the state.

Apart from these, consumers under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) consumers constitute separate categories. Specifically regarding PMUY consumers, their number in Haryana stands at 1,112,992—a figure that is currently undergoing no further changes, as new gas connections are not being issued under the PMUY scheme at this time. Including the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries, the total number of LPG consumers in Haryana amounts to 9,441,725, Saini said.

500,000 PNG Consumers

Anil Kumar, Indian Oil's State-Level Coordinator said that the Haryana government is planning to transition the state's commercial and industrial sectors from LPG to PNG. To this end, meetings are being held between the state government and representatives of various petroleum companies, including the CGD (City Gas Distribution) entities, he said.

A piped natural gas plant in Haryana (ETV Bharat)

As per the current situation in Haryana, there are currently only 500,000 commercial, industrial, and other consumers in the state.

NOCs and Other Procedures A Challenge

Kumar stated that in order to rapidly increase this number and resolve all necessary bottlenecks, the Additional Chief Secretary and the Chief Secretary are holding meetings with representatives of petroleum companies to facilitate the expansion of PNG infrastructure.

“However, efforts to accelerate progress in this direction often face delays due to the complex nature of NOCs and other procedural requirements across various government departments. Consequently, officials are currently engaged in meetings and deliberations aimed at identifying and resolving these obstacles," he said.