Government is busy identifying houses with both LPG and PNG connections, subsidy will be banned

The government is identifying households that have both LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) and PNG (Piped Natural Gas) connections. This step has been taken with the aim of preventing misuse of dual connections and making the subsidy system more effective. According to PTI news, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had issued an order last month making it mandatory for domestic consumers with PNG connections to have LPG connections. The notification issued on March 14 said that consumers who have PNG connections will have to surrender their LPG connections.

The government has become strict

This amendment has been made in the “Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000”, which has been implemented under the Essential Commodities Act. The government says this step has been taken to promote the expansion of PNG network in the country and reduce pressure on LPG amid disruptions in global energy supply. Under the new rules, oil companies and their dealers will not be allowed to provide new LPG connections or refill cylinders to consumers who already have a PNG connection.

More than 43,000 such consumers have surrendered

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Petroleum Ministry, said that till now more than 43,000 LPG consumers, who also had PNG connections, have surrendered their LPG connections. Although he described it as a “low number” and said that it is expected that this number will increase further. The government says that this system is to give priority to those houses which do not have the facility of piped gas.

Ban on issuing new LPG connections

India imports about 88 percent of its crude oil, 50 percent of natural gas and 60 percent of LPG needs. Recent global tensions and supply disruptions in West Asia have impacted energy supplies, forcing the government to make changes in distribution arrangements. For this reason, gas supply to industrial users has been reduced in some areas and the availability of LPG to commercial establishments like hotels and restaurants has also been limited. The government has also stopped issuing new LPG connections for the time being.