NEW DELHI — Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh
Puri, on Friday highlighted that in the last 10 years, the number of CNG
stations providing green fuel for vehicles in the country has surged more than
20 times, while the number of households using piped cooking gas has recorded a
5-fold increase and LPG connections more than doubled.
This reflects not only an improvement in the lifestyle of
the people but also an acceleration in the journey of 'Healthy India with Clean
Fuel'.
“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in
the last 10 years, CNG stations have increased by 2,300 per cent, PNG
connections have increased by 467 per cent, LPG connections have increased by
128 per cent,” the minister posted on X.
“These are not just figures, they show the achievement of
our resolve. They show that big changes are possible with new thinking, true
intentions and hard work,” Puri said.
The minister further stated that along with providing
convenience to the people, these figures are accelerating the journey of
'Healthy India with Clean Fuel'.
“These achievements have strengthened the foundation of
developed India, on which the construction of the grand building of developed
India has begun,” he added.
India's natural gas consumption is likely to rise by
close to 60 per cent by 2030 as the country seeks to reduce dependence on oil
imports and switch to cleaner fuels for running vehicles, cooking in household
kitchens and industrial use, according to a study by the Petroleum and Natural
Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) released earlier this month.
PNGRB has already developed gas infrastructure across 307
Geographical Areas , covering the entire country except islands, it ensures
widespread access to natural gas across domestic, commercial, industrial, and
transportation segments., the report points out.
"The City Gas Distribution (CGD) sector is expected
to be the primary growth driver, with consumption projected to grow 2.5 to 3.5
times by 2030 and 6 to 7 times" by 2030 from a base of 37 mmscmd in FY24,
according to the report.
The demand has been considered for fertiliser, power,
refineries, petrochemical, other industrial & commercial
establishments, households as well as CNG and LNG as transport fuel in the
energy basket through 2030 and 2040. There are reasonable time periods to plan
and construct pipelines, the report states.
Consumption of natural gas is expected to rise from 188
million standard cubic metres per day in 2023-24 to 297 mmscmd by 2030 under
the 'Good-to-Go' scenario which assumes moderate growth and developments based
on current trends and commitments, the report observes. The consumption is
projected to rise further to 496 mmscmd by 2040 under the same scenario.
