New Delhi: Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday launched National PNG Drive 3.0, a nationwide initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of piped natural gas (PNG) and increasing the share of natural gas in India’s primary energy mix.
The drive, launched during an event marking the 20th Foundation Day of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), will run from October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, PNGRB, city gas distribution (CGD) entities, public sector oil marketing companies and other stakeholders.
PNG Drive 3.0 Targets 50 Lakh New Connections
The government aims to increase the use of natural gas in India’s energy mix, where its share is currently around 6 per cent.
The drive will focus on encouraging households to shift from LPG to PNG, activating dormant connections, making better use of existing city gas distribution infrastructure and expanding PNG access in semi-urban and rural areas.
According to the government, India has already laid 6,87,966 inch-km of pipeline, creating potential for another 1.30 crore connections.
Under PNG Drive 3.0, the targets include:
- 50 lakh new domestic PNG connections
- 40 lakh conversions to active users
- 50 lakh additional domestic PNG registrations
The initiative is aimed at providing cleaner, convenient and reliable piped natural gas to more households across the country.
PNG Drive 2.0 Added Over 12 Lakh Connections
The government said the earlier PNG Drive 2.0 resulted in 12.10 lakh connections, 13.37 lakh billed connections and 15.31 lakh domestic PNG registrations.
Daily domestic PNG additions increased by 43 per cent, while billed consumer additions rose by 166 per cent, according to the figures cited by the government.
PNG Drive 3.0 will build on this expansion by focusing on existing infrastructure as well as bringing new consumers into the city gas distribution network.
India Expands Natural Gas Pipeline Network
PNGRB has authorised around 34,233 km of natural gas pipeline network across the country, including common carrier pipelines, spur lines, tie-in connectivity and dedicated pipelines.
Of this network, 25,429 km was operational as of June 2025, while another 10,459 km was under various stages of construction.
The Union Government has also taken measures to expand the ‘One Nation, One Gas Grid’ initiative, including approval of key trunk pipelines, viability gap funding for low-demand areas, a unified tariff, expansion of CGD networks and development of LNG terminals.
Government Pushes Cleaner and Reliable Energy
The expansion of natural gas infrastructure is intended to improve access to cleaner and reliable energy for households, industries and transport.
In rural areas and industrial clusters, greater availability of gas can reduce dependence on traditional fuels. For industries, assured gas supplies at competitive prices can help reduce operational costs and support manufacturing and investment.
Within CGD networks, increased availability of CNG and PNG is also aimed at supporting cleaner mobility and domestic energy use.