MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a): As per the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, June 2015, the present natural gas share in the country’s fuel basket is 6.5% vis-a-vis the world average of 23.8%.
(b) & (c): Yes. In order to increase the present level of gas share in the county’s fuel basket to meet the demand of natural gas in the country, the following steps have been taken by the Government:
? Government has approved a new Hydrocarbon and Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP) and same has been notified on 30th March 2016.
? Government has approved policy for auctioning of 67 discovered small fields of ONGC/OIL through international competitive bidding for early monetization.
? Marketing and Pricing freedom for new gas production from Deepwater, Ultra Deepwater and High Pressure-High Temperature areas subject to certain conditions.
? Policy for grant of extension to the Production Sharing Contracts of 28 small and medium sized discovered blocks.
? Policy Framework for relaxation, extensions and clarifications at the development and production stage under PSC regime for early monetization of hydrocarbon discoveries.
? New Domestic Natural Gas price Guidelines, 2014: Under these guidelines, gas price has been linked to the market/ important hub prices.
? Appraisal of about 1.5 million sq. km un-appraised area of the Indian Sedimentary Basins.
? Re-assessment of Hydrocarbon Resources.
? National Data Repository has been setup.
? Policy for exploration and exploitation of Shale Gas/Shale Oil resources by NOCs under the Nomination Regime.
? Policy for exploration in the Mining Lease (ML) areas after the expiry of exploration period.
? Policy on Non–exclusive Multi-client Speculative Survey for assessment of unexplored sedimentary basins has been operationalized.
(d): M/s Indraprasthta Gas Ltd. in collaboration with M/s Ituk Manufacturing India Pvt. Ltd. has launched a pilot programme to run two wheelers on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) recently in Delhi. The salient features of programme are as under:
(i) The type approval of the CNG kit in two wheelers has been taken from Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) which has been further endorsed by Transport Department of the Govt. of NCT of Delhi.
(ii) The CNG kit for two wheelers comprises two CNG cylinders of 4.8 litre water capacity each which can be fitted with upto 1 kg of CNG in each cylinder. These CNG retrofitted two wheelers can drive upto 120 kms in a single fill and are expected to be substantially economical as compared to a similar petrol run vehicle at the current level of prices as per the kit manufacturer/supplier.
(iii) It promotes clean fuel in the country thereby providing a better lifestyle to the people and also fulfilling the COP-21 commitments to curb pollution. It estimates that the two wheelers with CNG kit will emit 25% less hydrocarbon than petrol powered two wheelers. It is claimed that carbon monoxide emission would reduce by 20%.
(e): The implementation of the said programme throughout the country will depend upon the performance of pilot programme. No time limit has been fixed to implement the programme throughout the country.
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