The government on Wednesday said that ever since the war started in West Asia, around 2.5 lakh new piped natural gas (PNG) connections have been provided to consumers. At an inter-ministerial briefing, Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said 2.5 lakh new applications or registrations have also been received. The move comes after the supply of LPG cylinders has been impacted due to the ongoing war in West Asia, which has choked the major Strait of Hormuz, through which about 90% of India’s LPG imports are transported.
“In the last 25 days, 2.5 lakh new PNG connections have been given. Additionally, approximately 2.20 lakh consumers have shifted from LPG to PNG. Around 2.5 lakh new applications or registrations have also been received,” said Sharma.
As the supply of cooking gas cylinders has been impacted in the country, the government is asking consumers, including commercial users, to shift to piped natural gas, as it continues to have a seamless supply and has not been affected like LPG. Sharma said that unlike LPG, for which India is highly dependent on imports, LNG/PNG supply remains smooth as the country is less dependent on imports, especially from West Asia.
To fast-track the adoption of PNG in the country, the government on Tuesday introduced a new order to speed up approvals for new PNG connection requests. The order has been issued under the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Under the new framework, entities authorised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) or the government will be allowed to lay, operate and expand pipelines across public, private and residential areas.
A key highlight of the order is that housing societies, resident welfare associations (RWAs), and other entities controlling access to residential premises are required to grant the right of way within three working days of receiving an application. In case of delays or denial, LPG supply to the concerned households may be discontinued after three months.
Sharma also said that the country has sufficient crude oil inventory and that refineries are operating at optimum capacity. “I would like to inform the citizens of the country that we have an annual refining capacity of nearly 26 crore tonnes of crude oil. I am saying this because over the past two days, we have seen queues outside retail outlets and petrol pumps in several areas, and panic buying has also been observed. I want to assure the citizens that there is no shortage at any petrol pump,” said Sharma.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Shipping Ministry, said that Mundra Port has issued a circular under which 15 days of free storage has been provided for Middle East-bound export containers. The reefer plug-in charges have been waived by 80%, while lift-on, lift-off and transportation charges have also been waived.