Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday inaugurated the 450-km Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline built at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore via video conferencing. The pipeline will carry natural gas from Kochi in Kerala through Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod districts to Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka.
Launching the project, the prime minister said that Natural gas pipeline network will be doubled in 5-6 years and CNG stations will be raised to 10,000 from current 1,500.”
“While on the one hand, natural gas pipeline network is being doubled to about 32,000 km in 5-6 years, on the other, work on the world’s biggest hybrid renewable plant combining wind and solar power has started in Gujarat,” said Modi.
The prime minister termed this day as an important milestone for both the people of Kerala and Karnataka as the two states are being connected by a natural gas pipeline. “It is an honour to dedicate the 450-km pipeline to the nation. This is an important day for India, especially for people of Karnataka and Kerala,” PM Modi added. Governors and Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Kerala, along with Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas were present at the event.
Asserting that India under his government is seeing unprecedented work on highways, railway, metro, air, water, digital and gas connectivity which will aid economic development, Modi said, “I do not want to talk about the reasons behind the rate of India’s progress in previous decades. India cannot develop slowly now. In recent years, the country has increased its speed, scale, and scope of development.”
The government has an “integrated approach to energy planning. Our energy agenda is all-inclusive,” he said.
The prime minister also said that the emphasis is being laid on manufacturing biofuels as well as electric mobility. “In 10 years’ time, petrol will be doped with as much as 20 per cent of ethanol extracted from sugarcane and other agro products. This would help cut reliance on imports for meeting oil needs as well as reduce carbon emissions.”
“Alongside, the share of natural gas in the energy basket is being targeted to be raised to 15 per cent from the current 6.2 per cent. The pipeline grid will help improve clean energy access as well as also aid in the development of city gas projects he added.