By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan in the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday said that the IOCL is executing 517 km long Paradip-Haldia-Barauni Oil 30″ capacity augmentation pipeline project. IOCL has informed that physical progress of 43.4% has been made as of 31.08.2020.
Further, GAIL is executing Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline (JHBDPL) with extension of Barauni-Guwahati Pipeline (BGPL) and spur line to Dhamra-Haldia (DHPL) to connect the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam. GAIL has informed that out of about 2,655 km of pipeline, approximately 1,401 km has been lowered as of now.
As per information provided by Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), approximately 9,228 MMSCM of Natural gas has been produced domestically and approximately 9,966 MMSCM of LNG has been imported in the country during the period April-July, 2020. This gas also caters to demand of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
With respect to current development of Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL), it is submitted that Government of India has approved Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of 60% of project cost i.e. Rs. 5,559 Cr. on 08.01.2020. M/s MECON engaged as Project Management Consultant (PMC). Competent Authorities have been appointed for Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur under P&MP Act, 1962 for acquisition of land. Publication of section 3(1) notification under PMP Act, 1962 has been completed in Assam & Tripura. Various other pre-project activities are being undertaken.
Prices of petrol and diesel have been made market-determined by the Government with effect from 26.06.2010 and 19.10.2014 respectively. Since then, the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) take appropriate decision on pricing of petrol and diesel in line with their international product prices, exchange rate, tax structure, inland freight and other cost elements.
Further, IOCL has informed that BS VI fuels are superior quality fuels in terms of low Sulphur content (10 PPM Max) besides other improved quality parameters. The production of BS VI fuels entailed huge investment for Indian Refiners. The pricing has been modified accordingly w.e.f. 01.04.2020 to partly compensate towards the investment cost incurred.
