Excelsior Correspondent
NEW, DELHI, Aug 31: Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan today assured the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Ch Zulfkar Ali that work on Bathinda-Jammu-Srinagar Gas Pipeline Project will be expedited.
The assurance was given after Ch Zulfkar, who called on Union Petroleum Minister, expressed serious concern over lukewarm response to the prestigious project by Gujarat State Petronet Limited (GSPL).
Ch Zulfkar informed the Union Minister that GSPL was given Bathinda-Jammu-Srinagar Gas Pipeline Project way back in 2011 but the company has failed to expedite the work till date. He termed the project as prestigious for J&K and demanded that the work on it should be expedited to make possible round the clock LPG supply to Jammu and Kashmir which faces shortage of cooking gas especially in winters due to closure of Jammu- Srinagar National Highway.
Showing positive response, Union Minister assured that work on the project will be expedited so as to provide benefit to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Setting target of providing 1 lakh free LPG connections in first phase to the BPL women of J&K in last week of September, Petroleum Minister assured that they will also try to include leftout families on the basis of socio economic survey and special dispensation will be given to J&K.
Zulfkar Ali requested the Union Minister that BPL survey of the State Government should be taken as base for identification of beneficiaries so that the genuine people may get benefitted under the scheme. The Union Minister also assured that J&K along with HP, Uttrakhand and North Eastern States will be exempted from national criteria and will be given priority for 100% gas penetration within a period of one year.
Demanding declaration of Jammu and Srinagar as CNG cities, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali said that in view of continuous increase in air pollution due to vehicles and industrial sources, corrective measures need to be taken to check air pollution. He said that measure to establish CNG filling station in the State needs to be taken in a time bound manner so that State may be able to replace the existing vehicles with CNG.
Responding to this issue, Union Minister assured that they will declare Srinagar as CNG city soon and measures will be taken to decrease air pollution level in Jammu also.
Projecting opening of more petrol pumps and gas agencies in J&K, Zulfkar said that in view of difficult and hilly terrains and spread of population over vast area, there is a need for establishing portable petrol pumps especially in remote and inaccessible areas. He also projected for opening of new regular petrol pumps in the uncovered areas.
About these demands, Union Minister sought detailed proposal of opening of new petrol pumps and gas agencies in J&K and also assured that some possibility will be explored for establishment of portable pumps in J&K.
On the demand of providing sufficient quota of K-Oil, Dharmendra Pradhan assured that Centre will provide adequate quota to J&K so that people in the State may not face any shortage. He also assured that an oil depot will be opened in Anantnag to cater the need in South Kashmir area.
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