The government has launched the third phase of the National PNG Drive, targeting 50 lakh new piped natural gas connections across the country.

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched the drive after the previous phase added 12.10 lakh PNG connections in six months. The drive aims to expand city gas distribution networks and give more households access to cleaner cooking fuel.

Officials said the PNG drive is part of the government’s plan to raise the share of natural gas in India’s energy mix and reduce dependence on traditional biomass and imported LPG in urban kitchens.

Separately, commercial LPG and aviation turbine fuel prices were hiked from October 1, though domestic cooking gas rates were unchanged.

The government has been pushing city gas expansion for years, but household PNG adoption has lagged behind targets in many cities. The third phase is meant to close that gap with a coordinated push by oil marketing companies across ten states.