New Delhi, March 25 (IANS). With a view to strengthen natural gas infrastructure and enhance ease of doing business, the government has notified the “Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Laying of Pipelines, Construction, Operation and Expansion of Other Facilities including) Order, 2026” under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
This order has been implemented through the Ministry of Petroleum, providing a simple and time bound framework for laying of pipelines and their expansion across the country. It aims to remove the hassles of clearance delays and access to land, thereby enabling faster development of natural gas infrastructure in residential areas.
The order comes into force with immediate effect and establishes a comprehensive, transparent and investor-friendly framework for efficient gas distribution, rapid infrastructure expansion and equitable access to clean energy.
Its main objective is to expand the Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network, improve last-mile connectivity and promote the transition to clean fuel for cooking, transportation and industrial use. This will strengthen India’s energy security and support the transition towards a gas-based economy.
According to the official statement, the order addresses long-standing problems such as bottlenecks in infrastructure development, regulatory uncertainty and approval delays and establishes natural gas as an important transition fuel.
“The basic objective of this reform is to enhance the ease of doing business by simplifying processes, reducing regulatory barriers and creating a transparent and predictable environment for stakeholders,” the statement said.
The reform establishes a clear and uniform regulatory framework with standardized processes and timelines for pipeline laying, construction, operation and expansion, thereby reducing ambiguity and administrative discretion.
Additionally, it ensures time-bound approvals, including provisions such as ‘deemed approval’ (automatic approval) to eliminate procedural delays. Additionally, fragmentation in permitting processes has been reduced by implementing a uniform framework across sectors and ensuring transparency and predictability of costs by removing arbitrary fees and levies.
The government said it is committed to enhancing the role of natural gas in India’s energy infrastructure and strengthening the policy environment that promotes investment, innovation and sustainable growth.
–IANS
PM
