PIB News Update: Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has informed that Government is taking steps to enable growth of CGD sector in the country including allocating domestic natural gas to CGD sector as top priority under no cut category. As per data provided by PNGRB, as on 31.12.2020, the total number of domestic PNG connection in India was approximately 72.47 lakh.
Regular monitoring including meetings with other Central Government Departments and States Governments are held to increase the coverage of CGD network/PNG connection in the country. In this regard, various Ministries have issued guidelines for increased penetration of CNG/PNG in their jurisdiction and a few of them are:
- Public Utility Status granted to CGD Projects by Ministry of Labour and Employment.
- Ministry of Defence has issued guidelines for use of PNG in its residential area/unit lines.
- Department of Public Enterprises has issued guidelines to Public Sector Enterprises to have the provisions of PNG in their respective residential complexes.
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has directed to CPWD and NBCC to have the provisions of PNG in all Government Residential Complexes.
- Department of Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade notified amended rules 2018 to ease out process to set up CNG dispensing facilities at existing OMC Retail Outlets.
PNGRB has authorized 22 private operators to provide PNG to the houses during the last two years. They are in the process of establishing infrastructure as per the Minimum Work Programme. About 55,000 domestic PNG connections and about 260 CNG stations have been completed by them upto 31.12.2020.
IGL has informed that they are working towards providing PNG to all the households in its authorized GAs, including NCT of Delhi including for those who have deposited requisite amount for new connection, where PNG is available in the same locality, except for the cases wherein it is technically not feasible due to safety concerns.
Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the authority to grant authorization to the entities for the development of City Gas Distribution (CGD) network in Geographical Areas (GAs) as per PNGRB Act, 2006. PNGRB identifies GAs for authorizing the development of CGD network in synchronization with the development of natural gas pipeline connectivity, natural gas availability and techno commercial viability. So far as 232 GAs have been authorised for development of CGD network across the country upto 10th CGD bidding round covering more than 400 districts in the country in 27 States/Union Territories.