New Delhi: India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive strategy to transition commercial consumers to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) as part of an emergency effort to safeguard energy supplies amid escalating conflict in West Asia.

The initiative specifically targets commercial LPG users in urban centres, urging them to adopt PNG to alleviate the strain on traditional cooking gas inventories. To facilitate this shift, the government has directed City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies to simplify the connection process through digital portals and call centres, with several providers now offering financial incentives to new subscribers.

State-Level Administrative Overhaul

In a communication sent on Monday, the central government requested that states and Union Territories eliminate bureaucratic hurdles hindering pipeline expansion. Key measures requested by the Centre include:

  • Accelerated Approvals: Implementing "deemed permissions" for pending infrastructure projects and ensuring new permits are granted within 24 hours.
  • Cost Waivers: Removing road restoration fees and other local levies that impede construction.
  • Operational Flexibility: Relaxing seasonal and hourly work restrictions to allow for continuous project execution.
  • Centralised Coordination: Appointing state-level nodal officers to streamline communication between agencies.

Supply Status and Enforcement

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Petroleum Ministry, told reporters at an inter-ministerial briefing on Tuesday that while crude oil, petrol, and diesel stocks are sufficient, LPG availability remains a primary concern.

"Petrol and diesel are available in sufficient quantity. Regarding natural gas, as I told you, the Government of India is making efforts, and it would be beneficial if all commercial LPG consumers shifted to PNG...," Sharma said. She emphasised that there have been no "dry-outs" at retail fuel stations or LPG distributorships and urged the public to avoid panic buying.

To protect existing stocks, authorities have launched a massive nationwide crackdown on hoarding. Sharma reported that approximately 12,000 raids have been conducted recently, resulting in the seizure of 15,000 cylinders. Notable enforcement actions include:

  • Delhi & Uttar Pradesh: Over 1,000 combined seizures and 10 arrests.
  • Jammu & Kashmir: 564 raids leading to multiple FIRs and arrests.
  • Kerala & Madhya Pradesh: Thousands of inspections resulting in the recovery of nearly 3,000 domestic and commercial cylinders.

The government has also authorised the use of alternative fuels, such as coal and kerosene, for the hospitality sector to preserve LPG for household use.

Maritime and Port Operations

Rajesh Kumar Sinha of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways confirmed that all Indian vessels and sailors in the Gulf region are currently secure. He noted that 161 Indian sailors were repatriated in the last 24 hours through coordinated diplomatic efforts.

On the logistics front, the LPG carrier Nanda Devi arrived at Kandla port at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, joining the Shivalik in discharging vital cargo. Sinha dismissed reports of a container backlog at Jawaharlal Nehru Port as "baseless," clarifying that the 450 containers mentioned in media reports are being held in authorised warehouses and factory premises per standard policy.

With inputs from ANI