Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 17 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday virtually inaugurated Domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) Supply in Mangaldoi, CNG Mother Station at Uhani, CNG Daughter Booster station at Goraimari and Industrial PNG Supply to Patanjali Ayurveda Limited at Tezpur at a programme held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.

The projects will provide reliable, clean and environmentally friendly natural gas connectivity to households, commercial establishments and industries, contributing to sustainable development and economic growth in the region, a press release stated.

It may be noted that under the domestic PNG supply scheme in Mangaldai, connections have already been provided to more than 100 households, and around 30 families have started receiving regular gas supply.

The PNG distribution network in Tezpur became operational in March this year, and within a short period, more than 1,400 households have been brought under its coverage.

While the industrial PNG supply to Patanjali Ayurved Limited in Tezpur was formally inaugurated today.

The company is already consuming approximately 5,000 Standard Cubic Metres (SCM) of natural gas per day from North East Gas Distribution Company Limited, with demand expected to rise to 6,000 SCM per day.

This level of consumption is equivalent to the LPG usage of nearly 9,000 households.

As per the release, the newly inaugurated CNG Mother Station at Uhani Pathar and the CNG Daughter Booster Station at Goraimari will facilitate the availability of CNG across Sonitpur and neighbouring districts, enabling vehicle owners to adopt this cleaner and more economical transport fuel without concerns about accessibility.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma said that he felt happy to have dedicated a series of transformative and path-breaking energy infrastructure projects to the people of Assam.

Referring to the global energy challenges arising from the conflict in West Asia, he noted that 60 to 70 per cent of the LPG consumed in India was previously imported.

'In view of the emerging challenges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called upon Indian refineries to enhance LPG production capacity and simultaneously promote the use of PNG as an alternative to LPG. Following the Prime Minister's vision, Indian refineries are now able to produce nearly 60-65 per cent of the country's LPG requirement domestically. At the same time, city gas distribution companies across the country have accelerated efforts to expand PNG connectivity,' the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister observed that India still imports parts of its LPG requirements. Therefore, increasing PNG penetration would help reduce LPG imports and save valuable foreign exchange.

He further highlighted that Assam possesses abundant natural gas reserves.

'Due to the absence of adequate pipeline infrastructure, much of the gas produced by Oil India Limited remains underutilised, with some quantities being flared or capped. Expansion of PNG connectivity across Assam would enable the State to utilise its own natural gas resources more effectively. Increased production and utilisation of natural gas would also generate higher royalty revenues for the State Government,' he said.

CM Sarma expressed confidence that if the companies engaged in gas distribution in Assam, namely Assam Gas Company Limited, Adani Total Gas Limited, Purba Bharati Gas Private Limited and North East Gas Distribution Company Limited are able to provide PNG connections to 1 to 1.5 million consumers in the near future, it would result in substantial savings of LPG and make an important contribution to the nation's energy security.

He urged these companies to work with greater commitment and speed towards achieving this objective.

The Chief Minister also appealed to the public to adopt PNG as a domestic cooking fuel and CNG as an alternative fuel for transportation.

Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, Nilima Devi, Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, Ravi Kota, Chief Executive Officer of North East Gas Distribution Company Limited, Manoj Kumar Baruah, and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion, the press release stated. (ANI)