Kolkata: Bengal is set to see an investment of nearly around Rs 4,185 crore in piped natural gas infrastructure, which will cater to at least 4.4 crore people in both North and South Bengal.
Jagdishpur-Haldia- Bokaro-Dhamra pipeline project that will come up to cover 10 South Bengal districts will cater to a huge number of people whereas Barauni-Guwahati pipeline initiative will cover five North Bengal districts. A fund of Rs 4,185 crore will be pumped into it. The number of proposed CNG stations will be around 530 while the number of PNG connections will remain around 32 lakh. The City Gas Distribution (CGD) project will utilise the gas pipeline of GAIL for distribution of CNG/PNG for domestic, commercial and industrial use.
The state has received investment of around Rs 3,700 crore from Oil and Natural Gas Company (ONGC) while around Rs 900 crore of committed investment is on the anvil during the period of 2021-24. Petroleum exploration licence has been granted to ONGC on the basis of exercises carried out in the onshore regions of the Bengal basin. Test production is underway. Three Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks have been allocated to three different operators by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Meanwhile, Bengal Gas Company Limited (BGCL) developed infrastructure for Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to the people of New Town. BGCL is a joint venture company comprising GAIL and Greater Calcutta Gas Supply Corporation Limited. A new logistics and industrial park is being developed over 69.225 acre at Belur in Howrah, as mentioned in the state Budget this year.
The Bengal government has also laid major focus on the development of Ayurveda infrastructure in the health sector.
In the state Budget that was presented in the Assembly on Wednesday, the government has increased the allotment in Ayurveda infrastructure by Rs 6.5 crore.
During the last financial year, the investment in this sector remained around Rs 36,79,83,000 but this year, the figure has gone up to Rs 43,11,87,000, providing a major boost to the Ayurveda infrastructure across the state.