Central Government Appoints New Competent Authority for North East Gas Grid Project in Tripura

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a statutory notification on October 22, 2025, to facilitate the administrative continuity of the North East Gas Grid (NEGG) Project in the State of Tripura. Published in the Gazette of India as S.O. 4839(E), the notification announced the appointment of Sh. Subrata Dutta, a TCS Gr-I officer and Joint Secretary in the Revenue Department of the Government of Tripura, as the new Competent Authority for Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL). This administrative change followed the retirement of the previous incumbent, Shri Pradeep Acharjee, who had been serving in the same capacity. The appointment was made in exercise of the powers conferred by the Central Government under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Rights of User in Land) Act, 1962, specifically invoking the provisions of Section 2(a) of the said Act.

The legislation provided: “the Government of India hereby authorizes Sh. Subrata Dutta, TCS Gr-I, Joint Secretary, Revenue Department, Government of Tripura, to perform the functions of Competent Authority, Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) in the state of Tripura under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipeline (Acquisition of Right of User in land) Act, 1962.”

The primary objective of this notification was to ensure that the statutory processes related to the acquisition of right of user (the legal right to use land for laying pipelines without acquiring full ownership) in land for the NEGG project remained uninterrupted. Under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Rights of User in Land) Act, 1962, the Competent Authority performs essential quasi-judicial and administrative functions, including hearing objections from landowners, determining compensation, and overseeing the legal formalities required for pipeline infrastructure. By appointing a senior official from the State’s Revenue Department, the Central Government aimed to streamline the coordination between the Union’s energy objectives and the State’s land administration framework. The notification specified that the authorization became effective from the date of its issue, ensuring no vacuum in the regulatory oversight of the Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited’s operations within Tripura. This move addressed the statutory necessity of having a designated official to exercise the powers of the Competent Authority, thereby preventing delays in the execution of the regional gas grid, which is a critical component of the nation's energy security infrastructure.

Keywords: Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines Act 1962, Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited, North East Gas Grid Project, Competent Authority Tripura, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Land Acquisition, Right of User

Geo Tags: India, Tripura
District: Not Applicable