**9. Strategic initiatives for natural gas market growth**

The government has been pushing for expansion of the natural gas market with a heightened focus on increasing city gas distribution network penetration including CNG at retail outlets across the country. Further, the government emphasizes building cross country pipeline networks to remove the supply bottleneck. The government offers viability gap funding for the infrastructure build-up. For instance, the government committed 60% viability gap funding for Northeast Gas Grid with an estimated project cost of Rs 92.65 billion [21]. The Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited shall connect eight north-eastern states with a 1656 km natural gas pipeline. The government encourages investors to develop LNG terminals for import of LNG and regasification of LNG. In addition, it aspires for developing 1000 LNG refueling stations across all the major "highways, industrial corridors, and mining areas". LNG refueling stations development would attract investment of Rs. 100 billion soon. The first 50 LNG refueling outlets shall be along the golden quadrilateral and major national highways [22]. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas must strongly push for including natural gas in the GST regime. Such a move will bring tax rationality and benefit customers across the country.

The presence of an active and independent regulator in the form Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board serves as an enabler for faster progress of the natural gas market in India [4]. The regulator brings transparency and establishes fair competition.
