Bhubaneswar: In a major shift in the state’s cooking gas landscape, food supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Thursday announced that piped natural gas (PNG) connections will be extended to all household consumers across urban clusters in the state, effectively replacing LPG cylinders for city residents.The announcement came after the minister held a high-level meeting with representatives of oil marketing companies (OMCs) to review the rollout plan and address concerns over fuel availability. Patra said PNG would offer a more reliable, cost-effective and convenient alternative to LPG, which is currently around 13% more expensive than piped gas.“All households in urban areas will be connected to the PNG network in a phased manner. Once PNG connections are provided, these households will no longer be eligible for LPG cylinder supplies. The move will reduce dependence on cylinders and streamline the fuel distribution system,” said the minister.To check misuse and black-marketing of LPG, the minister said all existing LPG consumers would be required to complete e-KYC at the earliest. Officials said the verification process would help identify ineligible connections and ensure that subsidies and supplies reach genuine beneficiaries.The renewed push for PNG assumes significance against the backdrop of intermittent LPG supply disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict, which has impacted global energy logistics. Officials said that a wider PNG network will insulate urban consumers from such external shocks.OMCs have been directed to fast-track PNG infrastructure development, particularly in larger cities such as Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, where network expansion is already under way. “Modalities are being finalised for extending the network to other urban clusters in a time-bound manner,” Patra said.Officials present at the meeting said the transition to PNG is expected to lower household fuel costs, improve safety and reduce the scope for irregularities in the LPG supply chain, while ensuring uninterrupted gas supply to urban consumers. The minister said greater awareness will be generated among consumers.Notably, Bhubaneswar has made significant progress in introducing PNG connections for households so far. Residents living in localities like Sailashree Vihar, Niladri Vihar and Chandrasekhapur have already switched to PNG while giving up the use of LPG for daily cooking.
