Central Government to spend Rs. 70,000cr on Gas Pipeline Expansion

Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, said the Central Government will initially spend Rs 70,000 crore to spread gas pipelines across the country. He added that the Centre is working out plans to expand gas networks to Myanmar through Bangladesh.

The Centre is promoting a gas based economy which needs a massive network of pipelines for transportation of natural gas to various corners of the country, he said.

“Under this programme, pipelines are proposed to be constructed between Dhamra to Bangladesh and Siliguri to Bangladesh to export LNG gas according to the requirement of the neighbouring nation,” he said.

Turning to Odisha, Pradhan said the state needs a huge infrastructure to store, refine and transport the natural gas to the doorstep of the industry from Paradip, Dhamra and Gopalpur.

He said the Centre is contemplating to promote port based industries in Odisha and also in other coastal states having natural ports.

The eastern part of India, including Odisha, needs a high double digit growth rate to be on par with the Western region. In Odisha, around Rs 4500 crore would be pumped in to construct 1700 kms of pipeline network in first phase.

A strategic oil reserve project will also be launched in Chandikhol after acquiring land there, said Pradhan.