LPG consumers can change suppliers, cos

Unhappy with your LPG provider? Relief may be around the corner. In a move similar to mobile number portability, cooking gas consumers will soon be allowed to change their supplier without altering their existing connection, offering more choice and improved service.
Oil regulator Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has invited stakeholder and consumer comments on the LPG Interoperability Framework.
The PNGRB, in the notice inviting comments, stated that in situations where a local distributor faces operational constraints, consumers often have limited alternatives, leading to hardship.
“There may be other reasons, too, and the consumer needs to have the freedom of choice on the LPG company/dealer, especially when the cylinder price is the same,” it said.
The UPA government, in October 2013, launched a pilot portability of LPG connections in 24 districts, covering 13 States, and extended it pan-India in January 2014, covering 480 districts.
However, LPG consumers were in 2014 allowed limited options of changing only their dealers, not the oil company. What that meant was that a consumer of Indane Gas from Indian Oil Corporation had the option to choose from Indane Gas dealers in the vicinity. But, the consumer could not switch to Bharat Gas of Bharat Petroleum or HP Gas of Hindustan Petroleum.
Inter-company portability was not legally possible at that time, as the law provided for an LPG cylinder belonging to a particular company to be submitted to only that company for refills.
PNGRB is now seeking to allow inter-company portability as well.
“To strengthen continuity of LPG supply and safeguard consumer trust, PNGRB invites views and suggestions from consumers, distributors, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders on measures that could facilitate timely access to refills – by enabling consumers to be served from the nearest available distributor through improved coordination and flexible delivery arrangements within the existing network, particularly during times of disruption,” the regulator said.
PNGRB said India has achieved near-universal LPG household coverage with over 32 crore connections as of FY25.
“However, persistent consumer grievances remain over 17 lakhs annually,” it added.