Expedite PNG clearances: Govt to municipal bodies, other agencies | India News
New Delhi: Amid shortage of cooking gas cylinders, Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal on Saturday directed municipal bodies and other bodies to expedite clearance of piped natural gas (PNG), as approvals by state and local bodies often delay clearances for expansion.Setting a target of adding 50 lakh new piped gas connections to the existing base of 1.6 crore, at a round table here, the minister called for expediting the expansion in a mission mode, and emphasized the need for single-window approval, integration with city planning, last mile connectivity and integration with ongoing city initiatives.Improving gas supply to households and business flows is a priority for the government, while an Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on the West Asia crisis also reviewed energy supply risks, India’s supply chain resilience, domestic availability of essential commodities and critical infrastructure resilience.Presiding over the meeting of the IGoM — where the empowered group of secretaries outlined sectoral issues and policy measures — Defense Minister Rajnath Singh “stressed the need for a proactive, integrated and forward-looking approach and emphasized the importance of vigilance in view of the evolving scenario”.“The need for impact assessment of the situation across various industries was also discussed,” an official statement said. There is a huge pressure for households to shift to piped gas as the supply of cooking gas cylinders is severely affected due to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.In a statement, the petroleum ministry also said the defense ministry has changed a short-term policy to fast-track PNG infrastructure in its residential areas and unit lines. It will grant approval within 24 hours and waive road restoration charges for city gas distribution companies, which will restore public assets at their own expense. It will allow the use of defense land to install underground pipelines and valve chambers at a reduced annual license fee.The Petroleum Ministry has called for right-of-way approvals and resolution of high reinstatement charges. To switch domestic, commercial and industrial LPG consumers to PNG, the Center issued an order, establishing a time-bound and standardized framework to expedite the installation and expansion of gas pipelines across the country. The order sought to address chronic delays in permitting, land access and regulatory processes that have slowed the development of natural gas infrastructure.
