Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday virtually inaugurated a series of natural gas infrastructure projects, including domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) supply in Mangaldoi, a CNG Mother Station at Uhani Pathar, a CNG Daughter Booster Station at Goraimari, and an industrial PNG supply connection to Patanjali Ayurved Limited in Tezpur.
The projects were inaugurated during a programme held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.
According to an official release, the initiatives aim to provide reliable, clean and environmentally friendly natural gas connectivity to households, commercial establishments and industries, supporting sustainable development and economic growth in the region.
Under the domestic PNG supply scheme in Mangaldoi, more than 100 households have already been provided connections, with around 30 families currently receiving regular gas supply. In Tezpur, the PNG distribution network became operational in March, and has since extended coverage to over 1,400 households.
The industrial PNG supply to Patanjali Ayurved Limited was also formally inaugurated. The company is currently consuming around 5,000 standard cubic metres (SCM) of natural gas per day supplied by North East Gas Distribution Company Limited, with demand expected to increase to 6,000 SCM daily. According to the release, this level of consumption is equivalent to the LPG usage of nearly 9,000 households.
The newly commissioned CNG Mother Station at Uhani Pathar and the CNG Daughter Booster Station at Goraimari are expected to enhance CNG availability across Sonitpur and adjoining districts, encouraging wider adoption of the cleaner transport fuel.
Addressing the event, Sarma said the projects marked a significant step in strengthening Assam’s energy infrastructure.
Referring to global energy challenges arising from the conflict in West Asia, he noted that India had historically relied heavily on LPG imports. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged Indian refineries to increase domestic LPG production while promoting PNG as an alternative fuel.
“Following the Prime Minister’s vision, Indian refineries are now able to meet 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,” Sarma said.
The Chief Minister noted that India continues to import a portion of its LPG requirements and said greater PNG penetration would help reduce imports and conserve foreign exchange.
Highlighting Assam’s natural gas reserves, Sarma said inadequate pipeline infrastructure had limited optimal utilisation of the resource.
“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. Expanding PNG connectivity across Assam will enable the state to utilise its natural gas resources more effectively while also increasing royalty revenues,” he said.
Sarma expressed confidence that if Assam Gas Company Limited, Adani Total Gas Limited, Purba Bharati Gas Private Limited and North East Gas Distribution Company Limited collectively provide PNG connections to 1-1.5 million consumers in the coming years, it would significantly reduce LPG consumption and contribute to the country’s energy security.
He urged the companies to accelerate their efforts and appealed to the public to adopt PNG for domestic use and CNG as an alternative transportation fuel.
Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Nilima Devi, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, North East Gas Distribution Company Limited CEO Manoj Kumar Baruah and other dignitaries attended the programme, the release added.
(With ANI inputs)
