Hardeep Singh Puri Takes Positive Step By Setting 166 CNG Stations

Jul 18,2022

Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Housing, and Urban Affairs, has dedicated 166 CNG stations to boost the natural gas-based economy.

GAIL (India) has set up 166 CNG pumps and the City Gas Distribution companies are spread across 41 geographical areas in 14 states. 

Besides incentivising sales of such vehicles, CNG stations are also expected to boost the manufacturing sector and create employment, Puri said.

The Union Minister said that it is a crucial step in extending the availability of environment-friendly CNG to the transportation, residential, and industrial sectors in India. It will stimulate the demand for CNG vehicles, improve skill development, and generate employment.

In addition, the minister presented some statistics about the CNG station during the inauguration ceremony. CNG stations numbered about 900 in 2014. He said that the number of CNG pumps has now reached 4,500, and the Centre intends to increase the number of CNG stations by 3,500 within two years.

Puri said that earlier the country had about 900 CNG stations and today the number has increased to 4,500 CNG stations. The plan is to increase it to 8,000 in the next two years. The PNG stations have also crossed 95 lakhs. Earlier, it was 24 lakhs in 2014.

As a result of the CNG stations being commissioned at a cost of Rs 400 crore, the country will be able to use cleaner fuels as well as strengthen its gas-based infrastructure. Approximately 1,000 people will be directly employed by these CNG stations, he explained.

The minister also visited the exhibition which focused on the promotion of CNG and LNG-based clean mobility technology vehicles, which is organised by SIAM.

In the interaction, he stressed the need for cleaner fuels and technology in the automobile sector as a means of reducing vehicular emissions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target to increase the share of natural gas in the primary energy gas mix to 15 per cent to aid in a gas-based economy.

The gas based economy is anticipated to play a vital role in achieving the target of net zero by 2070.