Neeraj Mittal Highlights Major Reforms To Boost PNG, CNG Expansion

The Central government has introduced sweeping reforms to accelerate the expansion of natural gas infrastructure, including PNG and CNG networks, positioning the move as a strategic response to ongoing global supply disruptions.

Officials said the reforms, guided by the Prime Minister’s Office and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, aim to improve ease of doing business and enable rapid growth of the City Gas Distribution (CGD) network across the country.

The government formally notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026, under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to streamline pipeline laying and expansion.

Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said in a post on X that the reforms will provide major ease-of-doing-business benefits and help expand PNG and CNG infrastructure nationwide, describing the situation as a ‘crisis turned into an opportunity’.

The government said the reforms aim to remove key bottlenecks such as delays in approvals, high charges imposed by local authorities, and denial of land access by resident welfare associations.

Authorities added that increasing natural gas supply through pipelines will reduce reliance on LPG in connected areas, freeing up LPG for regions without such infrastructure.

The reforms come amid prolonged disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and damage to LNG facilities in the Gulf region, which have exposed vulnerabilities in India’s energy supply chain.

Officials said the order establishes a uniform framework to ensure faster execution of pipeline projects and expand access to cleaner energy across the country.

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