Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 5 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the goal of the government was to have 'One country, One gas grid'. He was speaking after virtually inaugurating the GAIL pipeline project from Kochi to Mangaluru.
He said the Centre was on a major initiative to connect all the gas grids across the country.
Modi also said this was a historic moment for the nation and the states of Kerala and Karnataka in particular. He said the project became a reality due to the cooperation of the people and the state governments in Kerala and Karnataka.
The Prime Minister in his speech also stressed upon the necessity of the Central-state cooperation to implement such major projects required for the development of the state and the people.
The LNG pipeline commissioned at a cost of Rs 3,226 crore and covering an area of 444 kilometers passes through the districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod in Kerala and culminates at Mangaluru in Karnataka.
The project commenced in 2009 and should have been completed by 2016 but owing to political opposition in land acquisition, the project got delayed and now stands completed in 2020. This project was a part of the manifesto of the Left in Kerala.
The project has already been supplying gas to the industrial units and residences in the Ernakulam city since 2013 after a part of the project was commissioned.
Speaking on the occasion, Union minister for Petroleum and Natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan said, "The cooperation extended by the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was exemplary and said this model has to be emulated." He also thanked the Kerala Chief Minister publicly.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during his address said the project had become a reality owing to the support of the people of the state and the joint work with the GAIL and Union government. He said the commissioning of this project was a major election promise of the Left Front and expressed satisfaction on its completion. He said the project was almost decommissioned in 2015 and after the LDF government assumed office in 2016, the project again started functioning.
Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa was also present during the virtual inauguration.
( With inputs from IANS )
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