English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Gujarati
Hindi
Marathi
Persian
While inaugurating 56 CNG stations today, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said India is moving towards becoming a gas-based economy. The newly commissioned CNG stations are spread across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh (UT), Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. They belong to different public and private city gas distribution (CGD) entities.
With the addition of these stations to India’s CNG retail network, the daily filling capacity of the environment-friendly fuel in the country is expected to go up by over 50,000 vehicles.
In the last 6 years, the number of CNG stations has increased from 947 to over 2300. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, ‘Government with the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas has worked to usher in a blue flame revolution in the country.
Presently, more than 400 districts of the country are being covered by the City Gas distribution network. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board(PNGRB) is preparing to come out with 11th round of CGD bidding round, after which 50-100 additional districts will get clean fuel.’
He reiterated NDA government’s commitment to providing infrastructure to facilitate this and mentioned that 17,000 km long pipeline is being laid for the purpose. An opportunity for entrepreneurs in the field of fuel marketing. Pradhan mentioned, ‘Places like North-eastern states and eastern India, which were deprived of the access to gas, are also being covered. Efforts are underway to complete the national Gas Grid in a time-bound manner.
Over 28 crore households have been provided LPG connections and an ambitious plan to provide 5cr households with PNG connection is underway. The Minister called upon the entrepreneurs to take advantage of the policy reforms brought in the energy sector. He said that capital requirement for setting up of retail outlets has been reduced from Rs 2000 crore to Rs 250 Crore, and even the start-ups can take part in it now. He said that Retail outlets can not only sell the traditional fossil fuels, but dispense gas also, and put up electric vehicle charging stations.
He appealed to the entrepreneurs to take advantage of policy reforms, compete and bring in innovation in fuel marketing which will be beneficial for the consumers. The Minister also spoke about the recent initiative of battery-swapping station set up in Chandigarh, which can be replicated elsewhere also. He also called upon the CGD players to set up CBG stations for which he said that cheaper and easily available raw material is abundantly available, and the OMCs are providing uptake guarantee at remunerative prices.
He said that India is one of the largest energy consumers in the world, and this would further go up as the country marches ahead on the path of progress. Recalling the Prime Minister Modi’s Aatamnirbhar Bharat campaign, Dharmendra Pradhan said that energy available to the people should be sustainable, accessible, affordable and should lead to energy security.