Piped Natural Gas is expected to become the order of the day in the next few years with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Authority (PNGRA) issuing Letters of Intent (LoI) to 10 successful bidders across 30 geographical areas (GAs) in the 9th CGD (City Gas Distribution) bidding round.

This is expected to cover 20 per cent of the country’s populace (as per 2011 census) and 11 per cent of its geographical area.

Coverage so far

With the completion of the 9th CGD bidding round, CGD would be available in 178 GAs comprising 280 districts spread over 26 States and Union Territories covering more than 50 per cent of India’s population and 35 per cent of its GA.

Nine districts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have been covered in the 9th CGD round. Incidentally, the bids for Coimbatore and Salem districts in TN have gone to State-owned oil and gas company Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).

Indane market share

R Sitharthan, Executive Director and State Head, IOC (TN and Puducherry), who was in the city to formally launch the 5-kg LPG cylinder fuelled iron boxes, told this correspondent on the sidelines of the event that the proposed investment towards pipeline expansion, construction of POL terminals, captive jetty, additional facilities for handling of petrol and diesel products has been estimated at ₹7,112 crore.

“This is for TN and over the next three years,” he added.

He claimed that Indane, IOCL’s LPG brand, continued to lead the second LPG revolution in the country, with a market share of 82-83 per cent on the domestic front. “We are hoping to achieve 100 per cent of the market by looking at other applications for LPG. And this 5-kg LPG cylinder is expected to fuel the change and transform lives,” he added.

“We are now focusing on the health of workers involved in ironing business, particularly those that are using charcoal as fuel,” he said, introducing two young women, who recently migrated to LPG-powered iron.

A survey by the company revealed that the ironing (isthriwalla) business is highly unorganised and a majority of them suffered various ailments due to exposure to enormous heat, emission of gases like carbon-dioxide and carbon monoxide.

Related Topics