Lok Sabha Question No. 291 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-18
Subject: Pre-Paid CNG Smart Cards
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, P.R. SUNDARAM, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 291

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2017

## PRE-PAID CNG SMART CARDS

## 291.      DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

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

## isVªksfy;e vkSj izkd`frd xSl ea=h

- (a)  whether the Government has launched pre-paid CNG smart cards to provide CNG consumers a digital option for making payments and if so, the details thereof along with the objective of the same;
- (b) whether the Government has taken steps for smooth roll out of these pre-paid CNG smart cards and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to introduce pre-paid cards across the country; and
- (d)  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide  clean  CNG  and  PNG  for  transportation  and cooking at customers's convenience to promote gas based economy?

## ANSWER

## पेट्रोल ियम और प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री ( श्री धमेन्द  र प्रधान)

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

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(a) to  (c):  At  present,  Indraprastha  Gas  Limited (IGL), a City Gas Distribution (CGD) entity in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad had started  'IGL Smart Card Program' at all its CNG stations in October 2017 for promoting cashless transactions as a part of 'Digital India' campaign. IGL Smart Card is a Prepaid NFC enabled card, designed to benefit both fleet as well as retail CNG Customers to reduce the transaction time. This Prepaid Card programme is the first pre-paid card programme by CGD sector in the  country.  As  per  the  Government  guidelines,  the  CGD  entities  are  taking  steps  to  bring  digital economy in their area of operation.

- (d):  In  order  to  promote  the  usage  of  Compressed  Natural  Gas  (CNG)  and  Piped  Natural  Gas  (PNG) across the country, Government has issued guidelines according to which the entire requirement of City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities for CNG (transport) and PNG (domestic) sector is met through domestic gas.

The  Ministry  of  Labour  &  Employment  has  declared  CGD  network  as  a  'Public  Utility'  under  the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued advisory to the State Governments to speed up the CNG/PNG infrastructure. The Ministry of Defence has issued guidelines to allow the development of PNG network into its establishments across the country.

Further,  PNGRB  has  envisaged  a  phased  roll  out  plan  for  development  of  CGD  networks  in  several Geographical Areas (GAs) in various States. The GAs are included in bidding rounds in a phased manner depending  on  the  natural  gas  pipeline  connectivity/natural  gas  availability  and  techno-commercial viability of the area.

*****