Consider the following statements : 1. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the first regulatory body set up by the Government of India. 2. One of the tasks of PNGRB is to ensure competitive markets for gas. 3. Appeals against the decisions of PNGRB go before the Appellate Tribunals for Electricity. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Let's analyze each statement regarding the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB):

1. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the first regulatory body set up by the Government of India. This statement is incorrect. The PNGRB was established in 2007 under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006. India had several regulatory bodies established much earlier, such as SEBI (1992), TRAI (1997), IRDAI (1999), and CERC (1998), among others. Thus, PNGRB is not the first regulatory body.

2. One of the tasks of PNGRB is to ensure competitive markets for gas. This statement is correct. A key objective of the PNGRB, as outlined in its establishing Act, is to promote competitive markets in petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas, while protecting the interests of consumers and entities engaged in specified activities.

3. Appeals against the decisions of PNGRB go before the Appellate Tribunals for Electricity. This statement is correct. Section 33 of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006, specifies that any person aggrieved by an order or decision of the PNGRB may prefer an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL). This arrangement provides a specialized judicial forum for appeals against regulatory decisions in the energy sector.

Thus, statements 2 and 3 are correct.