SMEs urged to shift to natural gas

Minister of state for Energy and Petrochemicals Saurabh Dalal on Saturday asked small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Gujarat to switch to natural gas for use as fuel in clusters.

This will enable Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) to provide them gas faster and at a more competitive price, he explained.

Dalal was inaugurating the natural gas supply point of City Gas Distribution at Gana Village near Anand in Gujarat.

GSPC has started supplying 15,000 cubic metres of re-gassified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) to Charotar Gas Sahakari Mandali (CGSM), the country's first co-operative engaged in gas distribution.

GSPC managing director D J Pandian highlighted the benefits of gas-based industries and power stations.

CGSM chairman Kiran Patel and managing director Allabhai Parmar listed the co-operative's plans to supply RLNG to every village in Anand district.

To begin with, the co-operative sector company will supply gas to about 40 SME industrial units and 500 households in Anand including Vallabh Vidyanagar campus, the university's science laboratories and kitchens in different hostels.

The energy minister said CGSM is a classic example of a partnership between supplier, distributor and the customer. "The objective of the CGSM is to provide gas to almost all villages in Anand district in the next few years," he said.

Dalal urged more companies and co-operatives to come forward and adopt this model of gas distribution. The minister said that the 158 Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estates should also act and switch to RLNG.

The CGSM has the membership base of about 1600 including domestic and medium and small industrial units. Of the 1600 members, about 600 members will start getting the RLNG from Tuesday.