The union government is planning to release about 5.5 crore new LPG connections over the next five years, petroleum and natural gas minister Murli Deora said.

Currently oil marketing companies supply domestic LPG cylinders to nearly 11 crore households covering about half the population of the country, he said at a function to dedicate 1147 mw gas based power project by Torrent at Sugen late Wednesday.

The highest priority of the central government is to enhance energy security of the country and making petroleum products available to common man at affordable prices, the minister said.

Deora promised to consider demand of the Gujarat government on providing piped gas supply to 2.85 lakhs small and medium scale units in the state as suggested by the minister of state for power and industries Saurabh Patel.

Patel wanted allocation of natural gas from the Godawari fields of eastern India discovered by the Reliance Industries to these units in the state.