CNG on highways soon

Stations would be built along Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Haridwar and Mumbai-Pune routes

The government plans to build green highway zones with compressed natural gas (CNG) stations along the route. The zones would be built along Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Haridwar and Mumbai-Pune highways.

Dharmendra Pradhan, minister for oil & natural gas, said the government's initiative to de-regulate the pricing of diesel has encouraged private players such as Essar, Reliance and Shell to re-enter the market and set up around 3,000 retail outlets across the country. He was speaking to reporters after the meeting of Consultative Committee of Parliament on ‘Marketing in a competitive environment’ here on Monday. India needs around 32,000 retail outlets over the next 10 years to cater to the growing customer needs. At present, there are 53,800 retail outlets in the country.

On the auctioning of 69 marginal fields, Pradhan said they had hydrocarbon resources worth Rs 70,000 crore and the bidding process would be completed by the year-end.

Earlier this month, the government had approved shifting to a revenue-sharing model for the auction of 69 marginal fields of ONGC and Oil India.

Pradhan said the move to a revenue-sharing model is a paradigm shift from the prevailing profit-sharing contract regime and could be implemented for future oil fields as well. It will be applicable to all future hydrocarbon fields that will be auctioned.