Prashnavachak News
In a significant push towards energy accessibility and clean fuel in Eastern India, Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the City Gas Distribution (CGD) project in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar, West Bengal, today. Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister emphasized Bengal’s integral role in India’s journey to becoming a developed nation and highlighted how the CGD project is a critical step in that mission. The project is expected to directly benefit over 2.5 lakh households by supplying piped natural gas (PNG), eliminating the need for traditional LPG cylinders. Additionally, new CNG stations will promote green fuel usage, helping citizens save money, reduce pollution, and transition to more sustainable transport options. The Prime Minister noted that this development is part of a broader energy transformation underway in India. In 2014, only 66 districts had CGD infrastructure. Today, more than 550 districts are part of India’s growing city gas network, with millions of homes connected to piped gas and public transport increasingly running on CNG. He credited the Ujjwala Yojana, launched in 2016, for bringing clean cooking fuel to over 31 crore households and ensuring dignity and better health for women across rural India. LPG distributor networks have also more than doubled, improving last-mile delivery even in remote villages. Highlighting the ambitious ‘Urja Ganga’ project, the PM explained how Eastern India, including West Bengal, is being linked to a massive gas pipeline infrastructure, driving not only household access but also supporting industrial growth and employment opportunities. He underlined that every level of this ecosystem—from pipeline installation to gas distribution—has created new jobs and strengthened the local economy. Further, the PM reiterated the Centre’s commitment to West Bengal’s overall development, citing major infrastructure projects like the Purva and Durgapur Expressways, modernization of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port, expansion of Kolkata Metro, and upgrades at New Jalpaiguri Station. These initiatives, he said, reflect the government’s long-term vision of a prosperous Bengal. “This pipeline is not just a project—it’s the lifeline of progress,” the Prime Minister said, as he concluded by wishing the people of Alipurduar and Cooch Behar a bright and empowered future.
