Government says it is keen to set up Jagdishpur-Haldia gas grid

NEW DELHI: Keen to set up a 'gas grid' in the country, government is working on the Jagdishpur-Haldia gas pipeline and termed it as the first ever gas corridor in the Hindi heartland.
It said once the pipeline is completed, it will not only help fertiliser plants but will also provide fuel to steel mills.

Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar told the Lok Sabha that the proposed pipeline will help fertiliser plants in Gorakhpur (UP), Sindhri (Jharkhand), Barauni (Bihar), Durgapur and Haldia (both West Bengal).

He said the Budget speech of the Finance Minister also has a reference to the 'gas grid' and it is an important vision of the Modi government.

Responding to supplementaries on sick and shut fertiliser plants, he said effrts are on to ensure that the shut plants are restarted.

He was asked that while India imports fertilisers, several of country's fertliser plants were shut.

He said government has planned financial restructuring of three sick plants: Madras Fertiliser Limited, Fertilisers and Chemical Travancore Limited and Brahmaputra Valley Fertilisers Corporation Limited.

A total of 44 major fertiliser plants are operating in the country. While 12 are operating in the public sector, nine are in the cooperative sector and a majority of 23 are in the private sector.