Lok Sabha Question No. 121 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-05
Subject: Piped Natural Gas
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 121

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.03.2018

## PIPED NATURAL GAS

## * 121.    SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

## isVªksfy;e vkSj izkd`frd xSl ea=h

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  allow  private  operators  on  a  large  scale  to  provide Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to the houses with a view to speeding up the campaign 'Sabhi Ghar Tak Swachh Indhan' and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  any  private  suppliers  are  providing  PNG  in  Parbhani  and  Thane  in  Maharashtra; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

पेट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्री ( श्री धमेन्द  र प्रधान)

## MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.121 ASKED BY SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV, MP TO BE ANSWERED ON MARCH 5, 2018

(a) & (b): The Government has established Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) under the PNGRB Act, 2006 which is the statutory authority to grant authorization for  the  development  of  City  Gas  Distribution  (CGD)  network  which  includes  Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) / Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network. As per PNGRB Regulations, private entities can also participate in the City Gas Distribution (CGD) bidding rounds provided they meet the eligibility bidding criteria prescribed in the PNGRB Regulations. Mahanagar Gas Limited  has  been  authorized  for  development  of  City  Gas  Distribution  Network  in  the Geographical Area (GA) of part of Thane City and adjoining contiguous areas, and Gujarat Gas Limited for development of City Gas Distribution Network in the balance Thane district. PNGRB  develops  GAs  depending  upon  the  natural  gas  pipeline  connectivity/natural  gas availability and techno-commercial feasibility and    is  in the process of finalizing 86 GAs covering 174 districts for future rounds of CGD bidding  which includes 5 GAs covering 9 districts, (Nashik, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg, Latur, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar and Dhule) in the state of Maharashtra. In respect of Parbhani, PNGRB has not authorized any entity so far, for the development of CGD network.

(c): In  order  to  strengthen  the  PNG  network  across  the  country,  Prime  Minister  in  his address  during  Urja  Sangam  on  27.03.2015  made  an  announcement  that  the  piped  gas connections (PNG) should be increased from 25 lakhs to one crore connections in the next four years. In order to promote the expansion of City gas networks and to enhance the usage of natural gas in cities, the Government has taken following steps:

- i. Domestic gas, which is cheaper than imported gas,  has been allocated to meet the entire requirement of PNG (D) and CNG (T) segments of CGD sector and it has been kept under no cut category.
- ii. Public Utility Status granted to CGD  Projects by Ministry of Labour and Employment.
- iii. Ministry of Defence has issued guidelines for use of PNG in its residential areas / unit lines
- iv. Department  of  Public  Enterprises  (DPE)  has  issued  guidelines  to  Public  Sector Enterprises  (PSEs)  to  have  the  provisions  of  PNG  in  their  respective  residential complexes.
- v. Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs  (MoHUA)  has  issued  advisory  to  State Governments  on  following  aspects,  (a)  to  standardize  the  Road  Restoration  / permission  charges  along  with  time  bound  permission  in  accordance  with  the  local conditions;  (b)  earmarking  of  land  plot  for  development  of  CNG  Stations  at  the planning stage of town/city and same should be specified in the revised Master Plan; and (c) relevant modification in building by-laws  for providing gas pipeline infrastructure in residential & commercial buildings at architectural design stage.
- vi. Further, MoHUA has directed to CPWD & NBCC to have the provisions of PNG in all Government Residential complexes.
- vii. In the FY 2017-18 planned Capital Expenditure of Rs.3400 Crore has been planned in CGD sector, against which Rs.1308 Crore has been utilized in first three quarters of 2017-18. Further it is planned to increase the Planned Capital Expenditure to Rs.4130 Crore in the FY 2018-19.
- viii. Petroleum  &  Natural  Gas  Regulatory  Board  (PNGRB)  is  reviewing  the  current regulatory framework to invite bids for development of city gas network projects.
- ix. PNGRB has identified  86 new Geographical Areas where the development of city gas networks will be awarded in coming year.

This ministry also regularly reviews the progress in the execution of CGDs.  For the current year, GAIL has been assigned a target to connect 10 lakh new Households with PNG supplies through its subsidiary/JV CGD companies in MoU 2017-18.

*****