HYDERABAD: Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan has said that within the next two years one lakh households in Hyderabad will be provided with Piped Natural Gas (PNG) by reviving the Bhagyanagar Gas Limited (BGL).
“Though Bhagyanagar Gas Limited was set up 13 years ago, only 1,140 households were provided with PNG. Lack of strategy, monitoring and bad business plan came in the way of BGL achieving its objectives of supplying PNG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to domestic and commercial uses respectively in the state. But we have decided to review BGL and I am personally monitoring to see that one lakh households are provided with PNG in Hyderabad within next two years,” Dharmendra Pradhan told newsmen here on Sunday.
The minister said, “We are not just focusing on PNG connections but are also taking steps to improve CNG stations and CNG supply substantially in Hyderabad. While New Delhi has more than 10 lakh vehicles with CNG connections Hyderabad has just 23,000. We are committed to increase CNG supply as it is not just clean energy and environment-friendly but also remunerative.”
Regarding the number of new CNG stations to be set up in Hyderabad, Dharmendra Pradhan pointed out that it would be market driven.
He explained that constraints in availability of gas was responsible for not increasing PNG and CNG connections in Hyderabad and Telanagana and AP states in the past.
But the NDA government has completely revamped its strategy in case of petroleum and natural gas reserves, supply of PNG and CNG will increase shortly. Stating that Krishna-Godavari Basin will become the hub of oil and gas reserves in the country in the coming years, Pradhan said KG Basin is likely to attract new investment of `1 lakh crore.
He stated that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC), Reliance Industries together will invest about `one lakh crore for exploration of natural gas.
“Most challenging gas fields and oil fields are located in KG Basin. That is why it is taking time for exploration in KG Basin. But with availability of modern technology and equipment, soon KB Basin will yield gas. Also there are hydro carbon reserves in KB Basin which are in huge demand. If hydro carbon can be monetised then the geopolitcal and economic dynamics of India will undergo a sea change making it more powerful,” he explained.
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