Modi commissions 128-km long Surat-Vapi GSPL pipeline

Surat, May 31 (UNI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today commissioned a 128-kilometer LNG pipeline, constructed by Gujarat State Petronet Ltd, at Vapi.

Delivering his inaugural speech at the commissioning ceremony of the project, Mr Modi said, the project would fulfil the needs of industries, transportation and domestic use of the south Gujarat region.

''The LNG supply facility at Vapi will be a great boost to the highly industrialised area. It will help to reduce the production cost by 20 per cent and the environmental pollution by 50 per cent,'' he said.

The Chief Minister said, his government is eager to use the achievements of modern technology in alleviating poverty and reducing environmental pollution.

''It was noticed that the autorikshaw drivers in the state are gaining upto Rs 1500 by using CNG instead of petrol,'' he said, adding, such kind of savings will contribute to reduce poverty.

Mr Modi also inaugurated a mother CNG station at Vapi which he described as the first one of its kind in ''the tribal belt of Vapi''.

He said the two LNG terminals are playing a major role in the development of Gujarat in a fast phase.

He said the government is working to get such two more LNG projects.

''Our aim is to ensure gas supply to the entire state by 2010,'' he said.

''2010 is the golden jubilee year of the state and we have many golden dreams to be fulfilled by then,'' he added.

Even in the area of power production, Mr Modi said, his government's performance is being appreciated.

''Two days ago, I attended a meeting at Delhi in which Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram made a presentation. He highlighted three states as the most power-producing states during the 10th plan. Interestingly, Gujarat has won the first place among those three states,'' Mr Modi claimed.

UNI