LPG crisis: UP, Rajasthan, Telangana fast-track piped natural gas rollout
What's the story
In light of the ongoing LPG shortage, several Indian states are fast-tracking the rollout of piped natural gas (PNG) connections to homes. Major cities in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Odisha are witnessing a rapid expansion of pipelines and new connection drives. Special camps have been set up to facilitate this transition from LPG to PNG.
State initiatives
UP's aggressive push to expand PNG coverage
Uttar Pradesh, which has the highest number of LPG connections, is leading the way in expanding PNG coverage. The state is working on a war footing to expand PNG coverage in urban areas such as Varanasi, Lucknow, Noida and Ghaziabad. Special camps have been set up to facilitate a complete shift from LPG to PNG while over three lakh new connections are planned along with ongoing pipeline expansion in Lucknow.
Rapid rollout
Rajasthan's ambitious target and Telangana's relaxed rules
Rajasthan has set an ambitious target of adding 2,500-3,000 PNG connections daily through camps and outreach drives. Meanwhile, Telangana has relaxed rules to expedite pipeline laying in urban centers.
Urban coverage
Maharashtra and Gujarat's focus on achieving saturation
Maharashtra is running saturation campaigns to cover cities like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pune. Meanwhile, Gujarat is focusing on achieving saturation in cities such as Ahmedabad and Surat.
Expansion plan
Odisha sets 3-month target for PNG expansion
Odisha has set a three-month target to expand PNG coverage across major urban centers, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Puri and Berhampur. The state is also expediting the process of getting approvals for new connections within 24 hours. This aggressive push by states comes as a response to the ongoing LPG shortage and aims at ensuring uninterrupted gas supply to households.