By
Tricitynews
Chandigarh
27th December:- Petroleum
and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) organized a roadshow for promoting 10th City
Gas Distribution (CGD) bidding round here today.
Petroleum and Natural Gas
Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the nodal agency for facilitating economic
activities in natural gas distribution with the objective to promote
competitive markets, create infrastructure and increase share of natural gas in
country’s energy mix. PNGRB has so far successfully concluded 9 CGD
Bidding Rounds for selection of authorised entities for development of City Gas
Distribution (CGD) networks in their Geographical Areas (GAs). The
recently concluded 9th bidding round for 86 GAs covering 174 districts in 21
states/ UTs was a huge success attracting interest from investors in all
offered GAs.
The 10th CGD Bidding
Round offering 50 GAs was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra
Modi on 22nd November, 2018 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. This roadshow is
the 1st in a series of roadshows being planned across India by
PNGRB over next 3 weeks and witnessed participation from the senior Government
officials, oil and gas companies, industry and academia. Depinder Singh
Dhesi, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Haryana was the Chief Guest.
At present, CGD
authorization has been given by PNGRB in 10 GAs in state of Punjab covering 13
districts namely SAS Nagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Ludhiana, Barnala, Moga,
Jalandhar, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Amritsar, Bhatinda, Rupnagar, and Fatehgarh
Sahib. In the 10th CGD bidding round, 3 GAs covering 6 districts- Mansa,
Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur ,Faridkot, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Gurdaspur are being
offered.
CGD
authorization has been given by PNGRB in 13 GAs in state of Haryana covering 16
districts namely Sonipat , Panipat, Yamunanagar, Rewari, Rohtak, Karnal,
Ambala, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh, Hisar,
Jind, Nuh and Palwal. In the 10th CGD bidding round, 2 GAs covering 3 districts
of Sirsa , Fatehabad and Kaithal are being offered. It may be noted that a
total of 4 GAs are on offer for both the state combined with Sirsa, Fatehabad
(Haryana) and Mansa (Punjab) Districts grouped in 1 GA.
After
the 10th round, States of Punjab and Haryana and UT of
Chandigarh would be fully authorized for development of CGD Networks.
This
is a big initiative towards providing clean energy to the users in Haryana,
Punjab and UT of Chandigarh. In the presentation on the 10th CGD bidding round,
PNGRB highlighted the opportunities in the oil and gas sector in India and in
the CGD business in particular. India's story in the natural gas sector,
increasing domestic production and LNG imports to meet gas demand ; along with
the country’s commitments at COP21, has pushed the Indian government to bring
in sweeping policy changes that are giving a boost to the domestic gas market.
The
roadshow was marked by the presence of Depinder Singh Dhesi, Chief
Secretary, Govt. of Haryana. Depinder Singh Dhesi mentioned that similar
to transition from GSM to 4G, the Energy Sector is also in transition Phase
from Petrol, Diesel to PNG. He added furthr that under the aspirational
district program of Niti Ayog, Palwal and Nuh have been taken up as backward
districts for focused intervention by various departments and he make a special
request that roll out of scheme in district Nuh be taken up on priority. Depinder Singh Dhesi said that PNGRB needs to
be complimented for the proactive approach it has taken to roll out this
program and he is confident that for the 10th round also, the industry would
respond with great enthusiasm. He said that this initiative by PNGRB
would provide benefits to the people of Haryana, and the Government of Haryana
would provide all the necessary support required to fructify this plan.