Panel urges enhanced capex, better fund use for Petroleum Ministry

A Lok Sabha committee report on the Petroleum Ministry's grants urges prudent budgeting and higher capex. It suggests targeted LPG subsidies, prioritizing the NE gas grid, boosting biofuels, increasing oil storage, and expanding the PNG network.

Member of Lok Sabha and the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas, Janardan Singh Sigriwal, presented the seventh report on 'Demands for Grants (2026-27)' for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in the Lok Sabha.

Focus on Prudent Budgeting and Capital Expenditure

The report emphasises the need for prudent budgeting, asking the Ministry to adopt sound forecasting models to minimise variations in fund allocations and reduce last-minute surrenders or adjustments. It further recommends enhanced budgetary support for capital expenditure, noting that such spending creates long-lived public assets and drives economic growth and employment. The Committee suggests using government support for infrastructure-led investment as a primary driver for long-term expansion.

Recommendations for PM Ujjwala Yojana

Regarding the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the Committee recommended exploring targeted LPG subsidies for regions with the lowest refill rates. To ensure affordable and sustained access, the Ministry was advised to use granular data from the 10.43 crore PMUY consumers to identify households unable to use LPG regularly and design specific interventions for clean cooking.

Prioritising North-East Gas Grid

For the Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited, the Ministry was asked to prioritise the project and strengthen coordination with state governments to achieve the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for the North-East.

Boosting Advanced Biofuels

Regarding the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, the report suggests promoting collaboration with research institutions and industry stakeholders to support technology validation and troubleshooting for advanced biofuels and 2G ethanol technologies.

Enhancing National Energy Security

Additionally, the Committee recommended exploring the construction of more caverns for energy security and urged the Ministry to strive for the global standard of 90 days of crude oil storage.

Expanding PNG Connection Network

Finally, noting the target of 12 crore Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections by 2034, the Committee suggested prioritising the expansion of PNG connections through the City Gas Distribution (CGD) network. (ANI)

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