PM lays foundation for piped gas projects in 5 Jharkhand districts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid a foundation of City Gas Distribution (CGD) projects in 129 districts including five in Jharkhand through video-conferencing from Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Jharkhand’s five districts-Bokaro, Hazaribag, Ramgarh, Giridih and Dhanabd had been picked in the ninth round of CGD bidding.

“Gas infrastructure is being strengthened in the country. The National Gas Grid project, Jagdishpur-Haldia, and Bokaro-Dhamra will give a new lease of life to Sindri (Dhanbad), Gorakhpur and Barauni fertilizer plants,” PM Modi said.

Ministry of state for civil aviation, Jayant Sinha attended the programme in Hazaribag while Jharkhand urban development minister CP Singh did the same in Dhanbad.

Speaking on the occasion at St. Columba’s College Ground, Hazaribag, Jayant Sinha said, “The project will accelerate the development of Hazaribag. People will get natural, clean, pollution-free energy through PNG connections.” He said several development projects have been launched in Hazaribag including railway and road projects for the development of the district in last four years. “Hazaribag will also get air connectivity very soon,” he said.

Indian oil corporation limited (IOCL) will lay the infrastructure for piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) in Bokaro, Hazaribag, Ramgarh, while the GAIL Gas Limited will do the same in Dhanbad and Giridih.

Addressing the GAIL Gas limited’s (GGL) function in Dhanbad, state urban development minister said residents of Dhanbad and Giridih would get clean energy through PNG connections. Sindri fertilizer factory would also be benefited from the project.

According to a press communiqué of IOCL, over 1.29 lakh domestic PNG connections and 129 CNG stations would be installed in five districts during a period of eight years up to September 2026, in addition to 1950 inch-km of steel pipeline.

Talking to media in Dhanbad, GGL chief general manager, MP Mahto said, “Besides industrial supply, the company will also provide PNG to 50,000 households under city gas distribution (CGD) project to Dhanbad and Giridih.”

GGL is hoping to begin supply of PNG to households by end of 2019. Besides, the company would also start 30 CNG stations in two districts.

On supply to Sindri fertilizer plant, Mahto said, “The upcoming fertilizer plant would require gas by 2021-22. A separate pipeline and gas stations would be set up for the purpose by that time.”

The 10th CGD bidding round, which was launched by the Prime Minister on Thursday, would cover Jharkhand’s Chatra, Palamu, Seraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum, Deoghar, and Koderma districts, IOCL officials said.