PM Modi lays foundation stone for city gas work in 122 districts
New Delhi, Nov 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday laid foundation stones to mark the beginning of work for CNG supply to automobiles and piped cooking gas to kitchens in 129 districts of 18 states, covering over a quarter of India's population.
Keen to cut emissions through a greater share of environment friendly natural gas as auto and cooking fuel, Modi also launched the 10th round of bidding for award of city gas licenses in 124 new districts, which have been clubbed into 50 Geographical Areas (GAs).
"This is an important step in developing infrastructure," he said, adding once 10th round is completed, natural gas as fuel will cover 400 districts and 70 per cent population.
Modi said households with piped cooking gas connections would reach 2 crore after network in cities awarded up to 10th round is completed. Currently there are over 32 lakh piped consumers.
He said CNG stations too would more than double to 10,000.
Downstream regulator Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) had just a few weeks back awarded licenses for 78 out of the 86 GAs put on offer in the 9th round of bidding.
Of the GAs awarded in the 9th round, Modi laid foundation stones for work in 65 GAs, made up of 129 districts, while leaving out the ones in election-bound states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana due to the model code of conduct.
The license winners of 61 GAS out of these 65 GAs organised functions in their respective areas, which were connected to Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital through video conferencing, where the prime minister formally launched the city gas works.
With an annual consumption of 142 million standard cubic meters per day, the share of natural gas in India's energy mix is just 6.2 per cent. This compares to a world average of 24 per cent. Gas accounts for 25 per cent share in Gujarat's energy mix.
Speaking on the occasion, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the city gas licensing rounds are a step towards making India a gas-based economy.
Gas is an environment-friendly fuel which is cheaper than not just liquid fuels such as petrol and diesel but is also cheaper than subsidised LPG.
City gas distribution (CGD) networks entail building pipelines from the gas supply source to the doorstep of consumers as well as setting up CNG dispensing stations to supply the fuel to automobiles.
PNGRB had offered 106 GAs in the previous eight bid rounds, of which 56 were awarded. 35 GAs were authorised by the government prior to incorporation of PNGRB.
The 91 GAs existing prior to the 9th round covered 11 per cent of the country's area and about 19 per cent of the population. Over 3.2 million vehicles are served in these GAs by 1,349 CNG stations as compared to over 63,000 petrol pumps. ?As many as 4.6 million households are connected with piped cooking gas.
In the 10th bid round for giving licences to retail CNG to automobiles and piped natural gas to household kitchens, 50 geographical areas or GAs spread over 124 districts in 14 states, covering 24 per cent of India's population and 18 per cent of its area, are being offered, PNGRB Chairman Dinesh K Sarraf said.
In the ninth bid round, 86 GAs spread over 174 districts in 22 states and union territories and covering 26 per cent of India's population and 24 per cent of its area was offered. Of these, 78 GAs have been awarded to companies like Adani Gas, Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Torrent Gas.
"Of the 86 GAs of 9th bid round, five GAs have been excluded as they are under litigation. Another 16 GAs fall in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana where assembly elections are on and so have been excluded because of model code of conduct," he said.
First CNG station or a piped natural gas connection in the GAs awarded in the previous round will take at least 1-2 years to become operational.
"In the two rounds (9th and 10th), we have covered 50 per cent of India's population and 42 per cent of the area," he said.
Bids for the 10th round will close on February 5 and areas will be awarded by the end of February, he said.
Cities on offer in the 10th round include Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Kaithal in Haryana, Mysore and Gulbarga in Karnataka, Alappuzha and Kollam in Kerala, Ujjain, Gwalior and Morena in Madhya Pradesh, Jhansi and Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Firozpur and Hoshiarpur in Punjab, Ajmer and Jalore in Rajasthan, Nainital in Uttarakhand and Darjeeling and Howrah in West Bengal.
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Focus on Vijay's poll promises; TVK assured 8 gm gold for women
Chennai (PTI): As the new-entrant TVK appears likely to emerge as the single largest party and form the government, the focus has now turned into actor-politician Vijay's poll promises, including 8 gm gold for marriage, which is worth about Rs 14,000 per gram (22 carat).
Vijay's assurances in the party manifesto include Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women below 60 years, 8 gm gold for marriage and six free cooking gas cylinders a year, per family.
By 3 PM, as per EC data, Vijay's party is leading in 105 constituencies and it falls short of a simple majority (118) in the Assembly.
The actor-turned-politician also assured a quality silk saree in addition to gold for indigent brides and interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh for women-run SHGs. He assured corruption-free good governance if voted to power in his maiden electoral fight.
The manifesto also laid importance on education. To prevent school dropouts, mothers or guardians of children studying in government and state-aided schools will receive Rs 15,000 annually.
Vijay promised 100 special residential schools named after iconic leader K Kamaraj, credited with revolutionising education in the state, and higher education loans of up to Rs 20 lakh. The TVK founder also assured AI Ministry, AI University and AI City.
The manifesto placed a strong emphasis on agrarian welfare, too.
The party promised a full waiver of agricultural cooperative crop loans for farmers owning less than five acres of land, while those holding more than five acres will receive a 50 per cent waiver. Additionally, the party promised a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.
Addressing youth unemployment, Vijay pledged to create five lakh new government jobs and offer as many stipendiary internships. Unemployed graduates will be provided a monthly aid of up to Rs 4,000. For government employees, the party assured consideration of the Old Pension Scheme and the regularisation of contract workers, including nurses.
On the health front, he promised a drug-free Tamil Nadu. Vijay also committed to modernising hospitals, providing free annual health checkups, and introducing a Rs 25 lakh family health insurance scheme.
The manifesto also included a Rs 3,000 monthly pension for the elderly and the differently-abled, 200 units of free power, patta (land deed) regularisation, and 100 per cent piped drinking water supply for all households.
Some of the policy intereventions promised by TVK include a legal guarantee to provide essential government services like community certificates, and land pattas, within a strictly specified timeframe.
Vijay also promised doorstep delivery of governance by implementing a system to deliver services, such as ration supplies, directly to the people. He also assured that ease of doing business will be paramount to his government and promised a strict guarantee that business licences will be issued within 21 days.
Elections to 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu were held on April 23.
