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Minister Puri Inaugurates 201 CNG Stations and India’s First Small Scale LNG Unit of GAIL

Addressing the audience, Minister Hardeep Singh Puri underscored the government's ambition to increase the share of natural gas in the primary energy basket to 15 percent by 2030.

March 06, 2024. By Abha Rustagi

Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs has inaugurated 201 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations and the country's first Small Scale LNG Unit.

Addressing the audience, Minister Hardeep Singh Puri underscored the government's ambition to increase the share of natural gas in the primary energy basket to 15 percent by 2030. “Development of National Gas Grid (NGG) and a wide spread CGD network for connecting the consumption centers with the supply points is vital for the creation of a gas-based economy,” he said.

The dedication ceremony, conducted via video conferencing, witnessed the participation of dignitaries including Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas & Labour and Employment, Rameshwar Teli, and senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) and GAIL (India) Limited.

The 201 CNG stations, set up by 15 City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities of the GAIL group across 52 Geographical Areas (Gas) in 17 states, mark a significant leap towards expanding the country's CNG infrastructure. Additionally, India's first small-scale LNG unit, established by GAIL at its Vijaipur LPG plant, signals a new era in liquefied natural gas technology.

Out of these 15 CGD entities, 53 stations belong to GAIL Gas Limited, 50 to Indraprastha Gas Limited, 43 to GAIL, and 20 to Mahanagar Gas Limited. Moreover, four belong to Avantika Gas Limited, two to Bengal Gas Company Limited, three to Central UP Gas Limited, one to Goa Natural Gas Pvt. Limited, three to Green Gas Limited, one to Haridwar Natural Gas Limited, two to Purba Bharati Gas Limited, one to Rajasthan State Gas Pvt. Limited, one to Tripura Natural Gas Company Limited and one to Vadodara Gas Limited.

Commending GAIL for its innovation in setting up India’s first Small Scale LNG unit at Vijaipur (Madhya Pradesh) with a project cost of 150 crores, Puri said that this Small Scale Liquified Natural Gas technology has the potential to play a crucial role in connecting the isolated gas sources with market and consumers; thereby, helping in the monetization of these resources.

Looking ahead, Minister Puri highlighted the ambitious plans outlined by CGD entities, envisioning approximately 17,500 CNG stations and around 120 million PNG (Domestic) connections by 2030. He emphasized that these initiatives would not only bolster energy security but also catalyze the development of ancillary industries, contributing to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

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