India is Moving Towards a Gas Based Economy: Oil Minister

India is moving towards becoming a gas based economy and the government is working aggressively to increase the share of gas in the country’s energy basket from the present 6.5%, country’s oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on September 6 while launching Gas4India campaign in New Delhi.

Gas4India is a unified cross-country, multimedia, multi-event campaign to communicate the national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the fuel of choice to every citizen, the oil ministry said in a statement. Both state owned and private sector companies have joined hands to promote the natural gas sector. The campaign includes social engagement via Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and its official blogsite, as well as hyper local, offline events to directly connect with consumers through discussions, workshops and cultural events. Pradhan launched the website, Twitter handle and Facebook page of the campaign.

Speaking at the event, the minister said the government has taken initiatives and policy reforms throughout the gas chain. He said that besides the move to enhance gas production, the government is promoting nationwide gas grid and setting up gas infrastructure. He said that Gas Authority India (Gail) has already finished the tendering process for gas grid and actual process of laying pipelines will begin soon. New LNG import terminals are expected to come online in next three to four years. 

Pradhan said the government is going to take steps to increase coalbed methane output, and also promote bio-CNG and bio-PNG.

Shardul Sharma