Aiming to ensure that more customers shift from LPG to PNG, several city gas distribution companies are offering incentives ranging from waiver of the registration charge to free gas worth Rs 500, confirmed the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas on Monday.
"For the last few days, we have been requesting LPG consumers to shift to the PNG connection. Wherever the network is available, connection will be given in the shortest possible time. To promote the PNG connection, certain incentives have also been announced by some of the companies," said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
While some companies like GAIL and Indraprastha Gas are offering free gas worth Rs 500 for domestic consumers registering or starting gas before March 31, BPCL and Mahanagar Gas have waived some fees. Mahanagar Gas has waived registration charges of Rs 500 for domestic consumers and the security deposit ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for commercial consumers. Similarly, BPCL has waived security deposits for all commercial consumers.
The ministry assured that the installation of the connection will be done within the shortest possible time. While acknowledging the intensity of the crisis, the government emphasized that there are no reports of LPG dry-outs. It added that to ensure adequate supply is maintained, LPG will be procured from every possible source.