NEW DELHI: In a bid to move towards gas-based economy, India will increase proportion of natural gas in its energy mix from existing 6.5 per cent to 15 per cent, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said.
“At present the (proportion of) gas is 6.5 per cent in our (India’s) energy basket. We are not producing country. We have planned 15 per cent,” Pradhan said while launching the ‘Gas4India’ campaign, aimed at promoting the use of gas in the country.
The minister, however, did not give any timeline to achieve this objective. Pradhan said, “The world average (of gas proportion in energy mix) is 23.5 per cent. In Gujarat, where our Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Chief Minister for three terms, this average is 26 per cent.” Pradhan was of the view that the consumption of gas should be increased as it is a clean fuel and makes economic sense in view of various technologies available for converting bio waste, sewage, high ash contend coal, bagass, husk and other feedstock to gas. The minister said that besides the move to enhance gas production, the government is promoting nationwide gas grid and setting up gas infrastructure. He said that GAIL has already finished the tendering process for gas grid and actual process of laying pipelines will begin soon. The minister today held meeting with senior officials and representatives from 20 big cities. During the meeting, the issues of road cutting fee, Uniform Tax for PNG, provisioning of PNG infrastructure for upcoming smart cities were discussed. Public and private sector companies working in the sector have joined hands to promote the natural gas sector under the ‘Gas4India’. It is a unified cross-country, multimedia, multi-event campaign to communicate the national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the fuel of choice to every citizen who uses, or will use in the near future, gas in any way- cook, travel, light their homes, and power their business. The campaign includes social engagement via Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and its official blogsite, as well as hyper local, offline events to directly connect with consumers through discussions, workshops and cultural events. Pradhan also launched the website, Twitter handle, Facebook page and Theme song of the campaign.—PTI
