Under the Minimum Work Programme (MWP), 312 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations have been established in Karnataka while the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has set a target to establish 1,414 more CNG stations in the State over the next 8-10 years.
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In a reply to a question in the Upper House recently, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli stated that the establishment of CNG stations is part of the development of City Gas Distribution (CGD) network and the same is carried out by the entities authorised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB).
“After completion of 11A CGD bidding round, PNGRB has authorised 18 Geographical Areas (GAs), including 1 GA spread over Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and 1 GA spread over Telangana and Karnataka covering the entire state of Karnataka for the development of CGD network,” he stated.
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PNGRB is the authority to grant authorisation to the entities to lay, build, operate or expand for the development of CGD or local natural gas distribution networks in Geographical Areas as per the PNGRB Act, 2006. According to the ministry, the MWP as per the authorisation to CGD entities entails the establishment of 8,181 CNG pumps over a period of 8-10 years across 27 States and three Union Territories.
The CNG pumps are set up by the CGD entities also along the National Highways as per their work plan and techno-commercial feasibility, the ministry had said earlier.
Meanwhile, according to the data shared by the ministry, Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts have set up 89 CNG stations as on May 31, making it easier for Bengaluru residents to choose a cleaner fuel alternative, followed by Dakshina Kannada district which has set up 28 CNG stations.