MP News: Only 1.2 Lakh PNG Connections Active Out Of 2.5 Lakh Installed In State
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A gap in the rollout of piped natural gas (PNG) connections across Madhya Pradesh has come under focus, even as the Centre pushes for a nationwide shift from LPG to PNG.
According to official data, around 2.5 lakh domestic PNG connections have been installed in the state so far, despite targets running into several lakhs of households. However, of these, only about 1.2 lakh are active connections, while the remaining households have pipeline infrastructure in place but are yet to start use.
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While cities like Indore and Gwalior have performed relatively well, large parts of the state continue to lag behind, with many districts reporting minimal or even zero connections despite sanctioned infrastructure.
The issue gains urgency in light of the newly notified Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026, which mandates households in areas with PNG availability to switch from LPG within three months or risk discontinuation of supply. The move comes amid supply pressures due to disruptions in West Asia affecting LPG availability.
Officials indicate that while pipeline infrastructure has been sanctioned or is under development in many of these areas, the pace of household connections has not kept up.
Factors such as delayed last-mile connectivity, low consumer awareness and initial installation costs are cited as key reasons behind the poor uptake.
As per the official data presented by the union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as on May 31, 2025, Indore has emerged as the top performer, recording 1,23,804 domestic PNGconnections against a target of 50,000, exceeding its mandate. Similarly, Gwalior has also surpassed its target, achieving 63,150 connections against a target of 44,000. In contrast, the Bhopal-Rajgarh region shows slow progress, with only 39,373 connections achieved against a target of 5,50,222, indicating a major gap between infrastructure planning and actual adoption.
A similar trend is visible in Raisen, Sehore and Shajapur, where just 7,913 connections have been recorded against a target of 4,00,001. Other districts too continue to lag behind. Dewas has achieved 23,063 connections against a target of 40,000, while Morena stands at 4,014 against 8,160. Shivpuri has recorded 3,126 connections against 27,229, Rewa 2,830 against 7,861, Guna 1,767 against 4,900 and Ashoknagar 1,804 against 3,885.
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District clusters such as Jabalpur, Katni, Mandla and Dindori have reported zero connections against a target of 15.3 lakh households. Similarly, Narmadapuram, Sagar and Vidisha have also recorded no connections against a target of 6.63 lakh, while Khandwa, Khargone and Burhanpur remain at zero against 5.11 lakh. In Betul, Chhindwara, Balaghat and Seoni, only 145 connections have been achieved against a target of 4 lakh, reflecting extremely slow outreach.