Miscellaneous Schemes under Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

PAHAL (Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh / Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG)

• Background: Earlier, LPG subsidy was given directly on cylinders, leading to leakage, diversion, and misuse.
• Aim: To prevent diversion of subsidized LPG and ensure benefits reach genuine users.
• Mechanism:
  • Consumers pay the full market price for LPG.
  • Subsidy is transferred directly to their bank account (DBT model).
• Eligibility:
  • LPG users and their spouses with annual taxable income below ₹10 lakh.
• Achievement:
  • Recognized by Guinness Book of World Records as the largest DBT scheme in the world.

👉 Significance: Transparency, direct benefit to poor families, and savings to government by plugging leakages.

Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana

• Type: Central Sector Scheme.
• Purpose: To promote Second Generation (2G) ethanol projects using non-edible biomass (wood, straw, grass, agri-residue) as feedstock.
• Implementation Period: Extended till 2028–29.
• Financial Assistance:
  • ₹150 crore per commercial project.
  • ₹15 crore per demonstration project.
• Coverage: Both “bolt-on” projects (attached to existing plants) and “brownfield” projects (upgrading older plants).

👉 Significance: Encourages renewable fuels, reduces oil imports, boosts farmers’ income, and supports India’s ethanol blending programme.

Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme

• Objective:
  • Reduce oil import dependence.
  • Save foreign exchange.
  • Provide a market for surplus sugarcane and maize.
• Implementation: Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) sell ethanol-blended petrol.
• Targets:
  • 10% blending → achieved in 2022.
  • 20% blending (E20) → targeted by 2025.
• Current Status: Public Sector OMCs have already started E20 petrol sales.

👉 Significance: A win-win programme—reduces pollution, helps farmers, and enhances energy security.

National Gas Grid (NGG)

• Purpose: To ensure equitable distribution and availability of natural gas across India.
• Current Status: About 24,623 km of pipelines are operational; another 10,860 km under development.
• Target: Increase the share of natural gas in India’s energy basket to 15% by 2030.
• Authority: Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) grants authorization.
• Key Projects:
  1. Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Project – Connects Eastern India (pipelines: JHBDPL, Barauni–Guwahati).
  2. North East Gas Grid – Covers 8 NE states; implemented by Indradhanush Gas Grid Ltd. (IGGL) (joint venture of IOCL, ONGC, GAIL, OIL, NRL).
  3. City Gas Distribution (CGD) Networks – Pipelines supplying PNG to households and CNG to vehicles in specified Geographical Areas.

👉 Significance: Boosts cleaner fuel usage, industrial growth, and regional balance in gas infrastructure.

SATAT Initiative (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation)

• Purpose: To derive economic value from biomass waste by producing Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and bio-manure.
• Targets:
  • 5,000 CBG plants by 2023–24.
  • 15 million metric tonnes (MMT) of CBG annually.
• Benefits:
  • Boosts supply of alternative fuel.
  • Creates 75,000 direct jobs.
  • Enhances farmers’ income.
  • Reduces dependence on fossil fuels.

👉 Significance: Brings a green revolution in transport fuel by making rural economy, farmers, and environment the biggest beneficiaries.