CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said that the state is moving towards a transition from LPG to PNG (piped natural gas). So far, 3.32 lakh PNG connections have been provided, and the number of domestic PNG connections is expected to double within the next three months.
He assured that, in view of the situation developing in Central Asia, there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or cooking gas, and prices will remain stable following recent measures taken by the Centre.
Talking to the media, he warned those involved in black marketing and hoarding of petroleum products, stating that strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty. As of March 24, 928 LPG cylinders and four vehicles have been seized, 66 accused identified, and eight FIRs registered.
Saini also said that to ensure uninterrupted gas supply, the state has reduced the lease rent for laying PNG pipelines from Rs 3 lakh per kilometre for 10 years in advance to Rs 1,000 per kilometre as a one-time charge, benefiting both companies and consumers.
So far, 3.32 lakh PNG connections have been provided, and to further boost expansion, a provision for deemed permission has been introduced for laying PNG networks.
“Currently, Haryana has 28,377 kilometres of PNG pipeline. The state aims to achieve 13,33,603 PNG connections, out of which 5,59,761 have been installed and 3,32,162 are operational. Work is underway to activate the remaining connections. Domestic connections are expected to double within the next three months,” he said.
Saini added that there are 586 CNG stations in the state, and pipeline expansion is progressing rapidly in districts such as Bhiwani, Palwal, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Jhajjar, Karnal and Kaithal.
In terms of natural gas infrastructure, Haryana has strong pipeline networks, including a 455-km Chhainsa–Jhajjar–Hisar pipeline, a 921-km Dadri–Bawana–Nangal pipeline, and a 132-km Dadri–Panipat pipeline. The HVJ-GREP-DVPL network is fully operational, while the Mehsana–Bathinda pipeline is partially operational. Petroleum product pipelines such as Rewari–Kanpur, Jamnagar–Loni and Mundra–Delhi are fully functional, while the Piyala–Jewar pipeline is under construction.
Saini said he has personally held meetings with petroleum companies, and the supply situation of petrol, diesel and gas in the state remains the same as it was four months ago, with adequate stock available. There are 4,032 government petrol pumps in the state, with an average daily sale of 4,804 kilolitres of petrol and 12,003 kilolitres of diesel. Oil marketing companies have increased terminal operations, sped up dispatches, deployed field officers and prioritised morning supplies to ensure normalcy.
Regarding cooking gas, he said the situation is fully satisfactory. The state receives about two lakh cylinders daily and distributes around 1.9 lakh cylinders. Adequate stock is available at bottling plants, and refill norms of 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas are being followed. Supply of commercial LPG is also ongoing, with special attention to hospitals, schools and essential institutions.
He added that currently 1.73 lakh commercial cylinders are in stock. The central government has implemented a 70% allocation framework for commercial LPG. He thanked the Prime Minister, noting that domestic LPG production has been increased from 40% to reduce import dependency.
He said police patrolling has been intensified in sensitive areas, and strict action is being taken against those spreading rumours.
Overall, the supply of petrol, diesel and LPG in Haryana is stable, and there is no need for panic. The Chief Minister said he held a meeting with all Deputy Commissioners and confirmed that there is no shortage anywhere. The Prime Minister also reviewed the situation with Chief Ministers of various states and assured uninterrupted supply.
“War rooms have been set up at the state level under the Chief Secretary and at the district level under Deputy Commissioners to address public concerns,” he said.