LPG Control Order amended: households with PNG must surrender domestic LPG connections
The Centre on 14 March 2026 amended the LPG (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000, requiring households with piped natural gas to surrender their domestic LPG connections and barring new LPG connections for them.
Summary
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on 14 March 2026 notified the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Amendment Order, 2026, issued under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Under it, a person with a piped natural gas (PNG) connection cannot retain a domestic LPG connection or take refills from government oil companies and must surrender the LPG connection immediately; PNG consumers also cannot obtain a new domestic LPG connection. Supplying LPG connections or refills to PNG consumers was added to the prohibited activities of government oil companies. The government said the step aims to optimise LPG availability amid supply disruptions linked to developments in West Asia, and urged citizens to opt for PNG where feasible and to book cylinders digitally.
Key facts
- Notified
- 14 March 2026 (S.O. 1333(E)), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- Parent order
- LPG (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000
- Legal power
- Section 3, Essential Commodities Act, 1955
- Rule
- PNG households must surrender domestic LPG; no new LPG connection or refills for PNG users
- Oil companies
- Barred from giving LPG connections/refills to PNG consumers
- Context
- LPG supply concerns amid West Asia developments
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Under the LPG Control Order amendment of 14 March 2026, which consumers must surrender their domestic LPG connections?
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Correct answer: D — Households with a piped natural gas (PNG) connection
Persons having both a PNG connection and a domestic LPG connection must surrender the LPG connection immediately.
Consider the following about the LPG Control Order amended on 14 March 2026: 1. The amendment was made under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. 2. The parent order being amended is the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the amendment order, S.O. 1333(E), was issued under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and amends the LPG (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000.
Which ministry notified the amendment requiring PNG households to give up domestic LPG connections in March 2026?
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Correct answer: A — Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas notified the LPG (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Amendment Order, 2026 on 14 March 2026.