PNG: Big news for common people. The current focus of the central government led by Narendra Modi is to promote the use of piped natural gas (PNG) connections over liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). To achieve this goal, the government has introduced various initiatives:
1. A new incentive scheme has been announced to boost domestic PNG connections across the country, encouraging people to opt for PNG over LPG cylinders.
2. Gas companies will benefit from the ‘APM/NAPM Incentive Scheme’, where city gas distribution (CGD) companies meeting specific criteria will receive an additional allocation of 200 standard cubic meters (SCM) of low-cost APM gas for every new billed domestic PNG connection above the set limit.
3. Companies exceeding their target for new domestic PNG connections will receive up to 200 SCM of low-cost APM gas per new connection, aiming to reduce their costs and incentivize the expansion of PNG networks.
4. The government anticipates that the cheaper gas supply will enhance the economic feasibility of expanding domestic PNG connections, potentially reducing the capital expenditure recovery period from around 10 years to about three years, prompting CGD companies to rapidly extend gas networks and domestic connections.
5. A user-friendly unified PNG registration portal is being developed to simplify the application process for new PNG connections, serving as a one-stop platform to eliminate the need for multiple visits. Applicants can also track their connection status online.
These efforts are part of a broader strategy to increase access to piped cooking gas in households, facilitating a quicker shift to cleaner, safer, and more economical fuels. The government’s emphasis on promoting PNG comes in response to LPG supply disruptions caused by tensions in the Middle East, resulting in a scarcity of LPG cylinders at the household level.
What is PNG Drive 3.O?
In fact, in places where there are no PNG gas pipelines
The government is preparing to launch a new nationwide campaign to deliver it to those places and promote its use.
This is called PNG Drive 3.O.
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When will PNG Drive 3.O start?
It is believed that PNG Drive 3.0 may be launched from September. Through this drive, the government wants to reach every household with PMG gas connections. During this campaign, PNG connection will be extended to households, ensuring delivery directly to their homes. This initiative aims to provide PNG connection to houses where it is available in the neighborhood but not yet in individual homes.
The upcoming PNG Drive 3.0 starting in September 2026 aims to expand the reach of PNG gas supply to every household, ensuring a continuous 24-hour gas supply without the need to book gas cylinders, thus avoiding issues faced during recent gas cylinder supply disruptions.