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Centre will extend full support to state: Pradhan
Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the Petroleum Ministry will extend full support to the Kerala government in converting all public transport vehicles to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). “We welcome the Kerala government’s decision to convert the fuel of all public transport vehicles to LNG and CNG. We will set up a strong supply chain of LNG and CNG to ensure uninterrupted supply of clean energy in the state,” Pradhan told Express. The Ministry had already taken up the issue of the obstacles faced by the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) in laying pipeline in the state and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had agreed to look into it, he said.
“Kerala is to benefit once GAIL completes the green corridor project by laying natural gas pipeline from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram,” the Minister said. Pradhan said that the petroleum sector contributed over Rs 230 billion per annum to the state and by laying the pipeline, we would be able to deliver hundred per cent clean energy to the state. On shortage of LPG cylinders in the state and the long delay faced by people in getting refilled cylinders, the Minister said that the BPCL and IOC plants in the state had enough capacity to supply LPG cylinders to the market without any delay, but the militant trade unionism in these plants was a hindrance.
“Trade unions have fixed a certain number of cylinders which they will process in a single day and are not ready to increase the number. In spite of repeated efforts taken by the companies, they continue to create stumbling block. The Ministry has decided to take up the issue seriously to solve the cylinder shortage faced in the state. We will be writing to Chief Minister to take up the matter seriously with the unions and do the needful,” he added. Josh Bynes Authentic Jersey
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