By ANI | New Delhi
Anil Kumar Jain, Chairperson of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), on Thursday said there has been a significant shift in consumer preference towards piped natural gas (PNG), with adoption rising rapidly across the country.
In an exclusive conversation with ANI, Jain said that while compressed natural gas
(CNG) continues to expand steadily across cities, PNG has witnessed a sharp increase in demand in recent months.
“In March, we connected more than 10,000 households per day, adding over 300,000 new connections. This is a record achievement,” he said, adding that the surge in demand continues even now.
He noted that earlier, consumers preferred LPG due to its organised supply and reliability. However, there is now a growing realisation that domestic piped natural gas offers greater convenience.
“People earlier believed LPG was better and reliably available, and it will continue to be so. But now people are realising that piped natural gas is even better than LPG,” he said.
Jain emphasised that there is no shortage of domestic piped natural gas in the country, and the government has been actively encouraging households to adopt PNG as an alternative cooking fuel.
“The government has developed a medium-term vision where, along with LPG, another gas option should also be promoted. LPG will remain the primary program, but we are moving towards promoting piped natural gas as well,” he said.
He clarified that there is no shortage of LPG, CNG, petrol or diesel in the country, and the supply system remains robust. However, consumer behaviour is gradually shifting towards PNG as a more convenient option.
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