SRINAGAR: Union Minister of Housing, Urban Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said the technical survey on the 175-km Gurdaspur-Jammu gas pipeline has been completed and the final decision on the much-awaited Gurdaspur-Jammu gas pipeline project will be taken by June end.
The Union Minister also said that a real estate summit is also on the cards in Srinagar.
Puri, who was in the town to highlight the nine-year achievements of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government, said the petrol and natural gas regulatory board has been evaluating the bids with regard to the Gurdaspur-Jammu gas pipeline project.
“The technical survey has been done and financing (of the project) is underway. The final decision will be taken this month only,” the Union Minister told media persons in Jammu, adding that the pipeline will enhance the energy security of the region by facilitating the transportation of natural gas from Gurdaspur in Punjab to Jammu.
It provides a reliable and cleaner energy source to meet the growing energy demands of this region. The gas pipeline in 2014 was about 14,000 km long but now has been further enhanced to the next level, he said.
“We have set a target of 33,500 km and have already managed 23,000 km,” he said.
Referring to the December 2021 first Real estate summit in Jammu, which opened the Union Territory to the country’s investors — who signed 39 MoUs worth nearly Rs 19,000 crore for the development of housing, hotel and commercial projects, Puri said the ministry is holding one more summit in the coming times in Srinagar.
The Minister said that after abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a change in the ground situation at a very fast pace.
Asked about the delay in the assembly elections, he said the region is going through a transition phase and is coming out of a prolonged insurgency.
“The progress is achieved because the security situation has improved and the concerned people will take the decision (on holding of much-awaited assembly elections),” he said
About frequent hikes in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices, the minister said India is importing 80 per cent crude oil and 50 per cent natural gas from outside to meet its requirements and therefore the prices entirely depended on international prices.
“Prime minister reduced the central excise duty twice in November 2021 and May 2022. The BJP-ruled states also joined in and provided concessions to the public but the states run by non-BJP parties made no concession,” he said, adding the fuel prices in BJP-ruled states are lower than the non-BJP-ruled states.
He also blamed the previous UPA government for the price hike and said the government in 2012 came up with a novel way to keep the prices down by coming out with oil bonds, putting pressure on the new government.
On freebies offered by several opposition parties to the people in their ruled states, he said there are two competing models before the public to decide.
“The Modi model of governance is development centric and includes ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, while the second model is of freebies model. It is basically the taxpayers’ money, which is being misused,” he said. (KNO)
