India Kicks Off Work on City Gas Network
Prime minister Narendra Modi November 22 gave a speech to mark the start of construction work on new city gas distribution (CGD) schemes awarded under India's recently concluded ninth bidding round.
Modi said that the work for setting up CGD network has started in 129 districts of India, under the ninth CGD bidding. He also officially launched the 10th CGD bidding round. Earlier this month, Indian downstream regulator Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) opened 50 areas for bidding under the 10th round. These areas are in 12 states - Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Bids are due by February 5.
Modi added that after the 10th round of bidding of CGD, more than 400 districts would be covered under the CGD network, covering around 70% of India’s population. During the ninth round 86 areas covering 174 districts in 22 states and union territories were open for bidding.
Stressing that the nation is now moving towards gas-based economy and pointed out the various steps taken by the government to strengthen the gas infrastructure in the country, especially increasing the number of LNG terminals, creating nation-wide gas grid and creation of CGD network.