With reference to National PNG Drive 3.0, consider the following statements: 1. The drive aims to convert 10 lakh existing connections by FY27. 2. The initiative targets the establishment of 50 lakh new connections by FY27. 3. The second phase of the drive added 13.4 lakh billed connections. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

National PNG Drive 3.0 targets 50 lakh new connections and 40 lakh conversions

GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Infrastructure (energy, ports, roads, railways)· Prelims· 1 October 2026

Energy transition and infrastructure development: a GS3 case study on decarbonization and last-mile connectivity.

Why in news

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched National PNG Drive 3.0 to accelerate the expansion of piped natural gas infrastructure across India.

Background

The initiative aims to establish 50 lakh new connections and convert 40 lakh existing ones by FY27. It also targets onboarding 50 lakh registrations, following a second phase that added 13.4 lakh billed connections.

Facts for Prelims

BodyPNGRB: Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board is the body overseeing the initiative
FactNational PNG Drive 3.0 targets 50 lakh new connections and 40 lakh conversions
FactThe second phase of the drive ended on June 30, 2026
FactThe second phase added 13.4 lakh billed connections and 15.3 lakh registrations

Prelims practice question

With reference to National PNG Drive 3.0, consider the following statements:

The drive aims to convert 10 lakh existing connections by FY27.
The initiative targets the establishment of 50 lakh new connections by FY27.
The second phase of the drive added 13.4 lakh billed connections.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)2 only
(b)3 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)2 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (d) 2 and 3 only — Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Statement 1 is incorrect: The drive targets 40 lakh conversions.

For Mains

Q. Discuss how the expansion of the piped natural gas network contributes to India's energy transition and the reduction of the carbon footprint in urban households.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Infrastructure bottleneck: High capital expenditure required for last-mile pipeline connectivity in dense urban clusters
Energy transition: Shifting from LPG cylinders to piped gas to improve safety and reduce logistical costs

Keywords: Energy transition · Infrastructure development · Decarbonization · Last-mile connectivity · Energy security

Read the full news →Report a mistake in this note Source: The Hindu ↗Also: GS2 · Government policies & schemes

More Economy notes

GST Council scraps arrest powers and raises prosecution threshold to ₹5 crore · 8 October 2026
16th Finance Commission recommends urbanization premium for urban bodies with populations above one lakh · 8 October 2026
Nitin Gadkari announces ₹993.64 crore project to upgrade NH10 against Teesta River landslides · 8 October 2026
RBI removes Paytm Payments Bank from Second Schedule after Delhi High Court winding order · 8 October 2026
Andhra Pradesh announces Japan-style cluster model for 714 projects aiming for 19.3 lakh jobs · 8 October 2026
Ministry of Communications rebuts Elon Musk's claim oligarchs are blocking Starlink from India · 8 October 2026

All Economy current affairs →

Something wrong, or something missing?

Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.

Report a mistake →Ask for something →[email protected]

This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.