Lok Sabha Question No. 1332 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-09
Subject: Development of Gas and Petroleum Sector
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1332 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 th  February 2023

## Development of Gas and Petroleum Sector

## † 1332. SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:

## पेोलयम और ाक ृतक गैस मंी

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to prepare a long term plan for the development of the gas and petroleum sector of the country to reduce the import bill;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the amount of the import bill which is likely to be reduced due to the said long term plan; and
- (d) the other steps taken by the Government to reduce the import bill?

## ANSWER

## पेोलयम और ाक ृ तक गैस मंालय म राय मंी ( ी रामेवर तेल )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a) (b) Government has taken various long term policy initiatives to reduce the import bills which inter-alia include:
- i. Policy  for  Relaxations,  Extensions  and  Clarifications  under  Production  Sharing  Contract (PSC) regime for early monetization of hydrocarbon discoveries, 2014.
- ii. Discovered Small Field Policy, 2015.
- iii. Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy, 2016.
- iv. Policy for Extension of Production Sharing Contracts, 2016 and 2017.
- v. Policy for early monetization of Coal Bed Methane 2017
- vi. Setting up of National Data Repository, 2017.
- vii. Appraisal of Un-appraised areas in Sedimentary Basins under National Seismic Programme, 2017
- viii. Re-assessment of Hydrocarbon Resources 2017
- ix. Policy framework to streamline the working of Production Sharing Contracts in Pre- NELP and NELP Blocks, 2018.
- x. Policy to Promote and Incentivize Enhanced Recovery Methods for Oil and Gas, 2018.
- xi. Policy framework for Exploration and exploitation of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) from areas under Coal Mining Lease allotted to Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries 2018.
- xii. Policy  Framework  for  Exploration  and  Exploitation  of  Unconventional  Hydrocarbons under Existing Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Contracts and Nomination Fields, 2018.
- xiii. Reforms  in  Hydrocarbon  Exploration  and  Licensing  Policy  for  enhancing  domestic exploration and production of oil and gas 2019.
- xiv. Natural Gas Marketing Reforms 2020.
- xv. Sustainable Alternative Towards  Affordable  Transportation (SATAT)  initiative  was launched on 1 st October 2018 wherein Oil and Gas Marketing Companies (OGMCs) invite Expression  of  Interest  (EOI)  to  procure  Compressed  Bio  Gas  (CBG)  from  potential entrepreneurs. Till 31st December, 2022, 40 CBG plants with a total production capacity of around  225  tonnes  per  day  have  been  commissioned.  Further,  Oil  &  Gas  Marketing Companies  participating  in  SATAT  have  issued  around  3826  Letters  of  Intent  to entrepreneurs  for  procurement  of  CBG.  Sale  of  CBG  has  been  initiated  from  97  Retail Outlets  and  supply  of  CBG  has  been  started  in  12  Geographical  Areas  of  City  Gas Distribution (CGD) Network under CBG-CGD synchronization scheme.
- xvi. After 11A bidding round, PNGRB has authorised 295 geographical areas for development of City Gas Distribution (CGD) network spread over 630 districts across the Country which covers  98%  population  and  88%  of  geographical  areas.  As  on  30.11.2022,  over  102.03 Lakh  Piped  Natural  Gas  (PNG)  connections  have  been  given  and  4918  CNG  stations installed across the Country.

(c)  The  actual  savings  of  foreign  currency  depends  on  various  external  factors  like  crude prices and prevailing foreign exchange (forex) rates etc. However, Ethanol blending in Petrol during  the  Ethanol  Supply  Year  (ESY)  2021-22  (December  2021-November  2022)  is estimated to have had an impact of over Rs. 22,500 crore on the import bill of crude oil and petroleum products.

(d)  Towards reducing import bill, Government has set a target of achieving 500 GW installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based capacity (Hydro, Nuclear, Solar PV, Wind, Biomass etc.) by  2030.  Further,  Government  has  launched  National  Biofuel  Policy,  2018,  to  boost availability of biofuels in country and use of alternative clean fuels like ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-CNG through Ethanol Blending, Bio-diesel blending and Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable  Transportation.  Programme  for  Compressed  Bio-Gas  are  being  implemented across the country involving various stakeholders initiative respectively with the objectives of reducing  import  dependence,  promote  clean  fuel  and  provide  boost  to  agriculture.  As  per Ministry of Power, significant addition to Thermal, Large Hydro and Nuclear Energy capacity is also underway.

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