Households in remote areas are facing difficulties accessing affordable cooking fuel as restrictions on new LPG connections and the high cost of piped natural gas (PNG) expansion leave many without reliable options.
State-run LPG agencies have stopped issuing new domestic connections in some areas where PNG is available or planned. However, gas distribution companies often avoid extending pipelines to remote households because last-mile connectivity is expensive.
This has left some families dependent on smaller, costlier LPG cylinders or resorting to the black market for domestic cylinders.
A parliamentary panel has highlighted the issue, noting that companies sometimes find it cheaper to pay regulatory penalties than invest in expanding PNG networks.
According to a Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board presentation, penalties totalling ₹34.31 crore were imposed across 20 geographical areas for shortfalls in infrastructure and domestic PNG connection targets.
Experts say existing penalties are insufficient to encourage expansion into commercially unviable areas, leaving households without access to affordable and reliable cooking fuel.
