Contract awarded to Gail Gas Limited for laying 263-km pipeline

Bengaluru, Apr 5 (DHNS): Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said the proposed City Gas Distribution (CGD) project will soon be launched in Bengaluru to supply piped natural gas (PNG) to all households.

Speaking to reporters, he said talks with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the State government on laying the pipelines were in the final stages. Simultaneously, steps are being taken to invite a tender for awarding the pipeline laying work, he added.

The GAIL Gas Limited recently bagged the contract for establishing and maintaining of CGD network covering about 263 km of pipeline in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts. The contract also includes supply of piped gas to all households.

The company will, in turn, be awarding local contracts to lay pipelines. The company has to cover a minimum of five per cent of the estimated 20 lakh households in five years. Admitting that there had been a delay in implementing the project, the minister said that it would now be taken on a priority basis. “Only 15,000 kms of gas pipeline has been laid since the country secured independence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now set a target to the Petroleum Ministry to increase it to 30,000 kms by 2019,” he added.

Pradhan was speaking on the sidelines of a function organised to promote “Give It Up” campaign (giving up LPG subsidy). “The campaign is not intended at cutting down subsidy expenditure. It is about helping the poor. The government will use the money saved under the campaign to improve standard of living of the poor,” he added.

Two lakh people

The campaign has been successful and about two lakh people have already given up the subsidised cylinders in the country. Well-known playback singer Lata Mangeshkar, Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and entire staff of TATA group have given up LPG subsidy, the minister said.

On the occasion, about 50 people, including BJP leaders R Ashoka, Vimala Gowda, Arvind Bellad, Tejaswini Ananthkumar, (wife of Union minister Ananth Kumar) handed over filled-in forms declaring that they will give up the LPG subsidy.