The Jharkhand city gas distribution (CGD) project, designed to deliver piped natural gas (PNG) supply to households, is facing delays. The Union government had targeted to provide 2.1 million CGD connections across the state by 2031, but only just over 0.148 million connections have been provided so far.
Besides, Ranchi and East Singhbhum districts have surpassed their initial targets for CGD connections.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorised 11 geographical areas (GAs), including three spanning Bihar and Jharkhand, to cover the entire state under the CGD network.
In Ranchi, the project was approved in March 2018 with a target of providing 29,962 domestic PNG connections. As of November 30, 2024, over 58,019 connections have been provided in the city. Likewise, in East Singhbhum, 43,136 connections have been established, exceeding the target of 24,278.
However, the districts of Bokaro, Hazaribagh, and Ramgarh have provided only 10,166 connections out of the target of 79,052. In Giridih and Dhanbad, 12,178 connections have been provided against the target of 50,000 connections, while in West Singhbhum, including the mining town of Chaibasa, only 125 connections have been achieved out of the target of 6,025.