Shillong, July 11: Gas pipelines would be laid in all the Northeastern states, including Meghalaya.
This was informed by Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Rameswar Teli, on Monday.
He told reporters here that the initiative is through the Indradhanush Gas Grid Ltd (IGGL), a joint venture of Indian Oil, ONGC, GAIL, Oil India, and Numaligarh Refinery.
“Even Meghalaya is included. This pipeline will extend till Shillong and we want the work to start soon,” Teli said.
Initially, tenders for five blocks were invited and Meghalaya will be included in the next phase.
Hike in petrol price
Commenting on the frequent hike in prices of fuel, Teli cited the increase in the crude oil prices in the international market as the reason.
“ We import 83 percent of oil and gas from outside the country and if there is increase in prices in the international market, we increase the prices of fuel and gas,” he said.
The minister said the government is trying to explore new areas for petroleum and oil.
“We have come to know that in the Northeast petroleum and gas are available. In Nagaland through exploration we have found that there are oil and petroleum. We have also come to know that the same is also available in Meghalaya. Be it in Meghalaya or Nagaland or Mizoram the government will explore oil and petroleum”, he said.
The minister added that If oil and gas are available in the country, the prices can be controlled.
