New Delhi, Mar 5 (KNN) Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced a massive investment of Rs 41,000 crore in the expansion of its city gas network on Monday.

The announcement came during a ceremony where licenses were awarded to the winners of the 12th city gas distribution (CGD) bidding round.

With the award of licences for 8 geographical areas covering 103 districts in six north eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram and two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the city gas network now covers the entire country except the islands.

This strategic investment is expected to generate substantial employment opportunities while promoting the use of natural gas as a cleaner alternative in transport, cooking, and industrial sectors.

Puri emphasised the government's commitment to fostering a gas-based economy, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to increase the share of natural gas in India's energy mix from 6 per cent to 15 per cent by 2030.

Key highlights of the initiative include partnerships between major players such as Bharat Petroleum, Oil India Ltd, GAIL (India) Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), and others, securing licenses for various regions.

Puri also outlined major policy reforms aimed at laying the foundation for a sustainable and secure energy future.

These reforms include changes in the pricing of locally produced gas and amendments in natural gas pipeline tariff regulations to enhance accessibility and affordability, particularly in remote areas.

With over 33,753 km of authorised natural gas trunk pipelines, of which approximately 24,623 km are operational, India's natural gas infrastructure is steadily expanding.

The minister highlighted the significant progress made in the deployment of domestic PNG connections and CNG stations, with plans to further scale up to around 17,500 CNG stations and 120 million piped natural gas connections by 2030.

This ambitious endeavour not only addresses energy accessibility but also stimulates the development of ancillary industries, contributing to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

Puri concluded by emphasising India's profound shift towards energy accessibility and development, underpinned by the transformative potential of clean and sustainable energy sources like natural gas.

(KNN Bureau)