LPG supply to be cut off if households refuse PNG switch where available: Government order

Government mandates LPG supply cut-off for households not switching to available piped natural gas (PNG) within three months.

The government has mandated that cooking gas LPG supply to households will be discontinued if consumers fail to switch to piped natural gas where such connectivity is available, under a new order aimed at accelerating gas network expansion and reducing reliance on a single fuel.

As India grapples with an LPG shortage due to the war in West Asia disrupting supplies from key sources, the government is pushing households and commercial users to switch to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) — a more convenient alternative that is both domestically produced and sourced through diversified supply.

PNG is continuously supplied to kitchen burners through pipelines, eliminating the need to book refills.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026, aimed at accelerating pipeline infrastructure, easing approvals and promoting a shift from LPG to PNG to strengthen energy security.

The order issued on March 24 states that LPG supply "shall cease after three months" if a household does not opt for PNG despite availability. The provision, however, allows continuation where it is "technically infeasible" to provide a piped connection, subject to a no-objection certificate.

The move is aimed at freeing up LPG supplies from areas with pipeline connectivity and diverting them to regions lacking such infrastructure, while promoting "fuel diversification" amid global supply disruptions, including damage to liquefaction facilities in the Gulf and the continued blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.