Govt will cut off CNG supply in 2015: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
OGRA would increase the gas tariff for the new scheme, says Abid Saeed
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday has said that the government would cut off the supply of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to the CNG stations of Punjab next year.
He expressed these views in a seminar of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Petroleum headed by chairman Bilal Ahmed Virk.
Secretary Petroleum Abid Saeed while briefing the committee said that Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has withdrawn the restriction imposed on gas supply and that Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) would increase the gas tariff for the new scheme.
He said that the CNG sector would import the gas and then sell it and that it would remain 35 percent cheaper than the petrol.
He also said that the investors have shown interest in the Liquefied natural Gas (LNG) and that the government would incorporate two billion cubic feet gas into the system.
He said that a summary has been sent to the Council of Common Interest (CCI) to reduce the price of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
Saeed said that the government would decide a price of the LPG according to the new policy and that it would be cheaper and in the buying capacity of the public.
He also said that measures are being taken in Kohat for infrastructural development and minimizing gas thievery.
Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) General Manager Ijaz Ahmed said that gas thievery worth around Rs 3 billion was caught last year and as many as 2600 customers were reported to be using the gas illegally.
He said that Rs one billion have been recovered so far.
Ahmed also said that it is impossible to give gas connections in few colonies in Karachi whereas, the gas connections in the Shah Abdul Lateef Colony are underway.
The Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) official informed the meeting that 6 new gas reserves have been found in different part of Sindh and that the production of 12 crores cubic feet gas would start in December.
