PNG Drive 3.0 targets 50 lakh new connections, shifts focus to gas network utilisation
The Union Petroleum Ministry has launched 'National PNG Drive 3.0' to add 50 lakh new piped natural gas connections by the end of FY27. The initiative aims to improve the utilization of existing gas infrastructure and increase the share of natural gas in India's energy mix.
Why it matters
Expanding natural gas infrastructure is a key component of India's strategy to transition toward cleaner energy sources.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, along with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) and city-gas distributors, on Thursday launched National PNG Drive 3.0, stepping up efforts to accelerate the shift towards piped natural gas (PNG) for households.
The latest phase, which will run until the end of FY27, targets 50 lakh new domestic PNG connections, conversion of 40 lakh existing connections into active consumers and onboarding another 50 lakh domestic PNG registrations.
The initiative builds on the second phase, which ran from January 1 to June 30, 2026, and added around 13.4 lakh billed connections, while generating more than 15.3 lakh domestic PNG registrations.
PNGRB data showed a sharp acceleration in adoption during the second phase. Average daily additions of domestic PNG connections rose 43% to 6,690 from 4,702, while daily additions of billed consumers increased more than two-and-a-half times to 7,392 from 2,781.
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