The Gujarat government has initiated a campaign to enhance piped natural gas (PNG) connections and boost commercial LPG allocations across the state. This move aims to modernize fuel distribution and ensure a continuous supply for essential and commercial sectors. Principal Secretary of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Mona Khandhar, highlighted the focus on converting existing LPG users to PNG in areas where the network is available.
All consumers holding both LPG and PNG connections will be mandated to shift to PNG, following which their LPG connections will be surrendered by the oil marketing companies. Data sharing between PNG companies and oil marketing firms is being done for precise mapping, with monitoring by District Collectors and District Supply Officers. In regions without PNG networks, commercial LPG allocations have been raised from 10 to 25 percent for various establishments like restaurants, hotels, and industrial canteens.
The state is ensuring that essential MSME sectors, crucial for employment generation in each district, receive commercial LPG under a 10 percent quota. Hospitals, educational institutes, old age homes, orphanages, and religious institutions will maintain their LPG supplies as before. Hospitals and schools will get 100 percent of their requirements, while certain industries such as pharmaceutical and dairy units will receive 70 percent.
To promote PNG adoption, the government has set strict timelines for application processing. Pending domestic and commercial applications in areas with existing PNG networks will be sanctioned within 10 days. City Gas Distribution companies will aid societies and newly developed areas near PNG networks in obtaining connections, after which their LPG connections will be surrendered. In Ahmedabad alone, a significant number of commercial and domestic connections are transitioning to PNG, with plans to connect numerous societies to the network in the coming months.
City Gas Distribution companies have been directed to secure Right of Way approvals swiftly from local institutions and the Road and Building Departments, without any charges, to expedite the PNG network’s expansion. The initiative focuses on expanding PNG infrastructure while ensuring a steady fuel supply for hospitals, educational institutions, essential industries, and social organizations.
