Wherever Available… Get piped gas or risk losing LPG supply!

New Delhi: In a move that could reshape how millions of households cook, the Union government has ordered that LPG supply will be cut off if consumers fail to switch to piped natural gas where it is available.

Under the new order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Tuesday, households will have just three months to opt for PNG once notified, or risk losing access to LPG altogether. India is now grappling with an LPG shortage triggered by the ongoing war in West Asia, which has disrupted supplies from key sources and impacted global energy flows.

The government is now nudging households and commercial users towards PNG, which is seen as more reliable due to diversified sourcing and domestic production. Unlike LPG cylinders, PNG is supplied directly to kitchens through pipelines, removing the need for refills.

The order makes it clear. Once an authorised entity informs a household that PNG is available, the switch is no longer optional. “The LPG supply to such an address shall cease after three months from the date of the communication,” the order says.

There is a caveat. LPG will continue only if it is “technically infeasible” to provide a PNG connection, subject to a no-objection certificate issued by the supplier.