Alipurduar, West Bengal: In a major step towards boosting clean energy infrastructure in eastern India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone for the City Gas Distribution (CGD) Project in Alipurduar, West Bengal. The project, which also extends to Cooch Behar, aims to provide piped natural gas (PNG) to over 2.5 lakh households and expand Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) access across the region.
Addressing a large gathering, Prime Minister Modi underscored the rich cultural heritage and strategic location of Alipurduar, noting its proximity to Bhutan, Assam, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar. “This land is not only rich in natural beauty but also plays a crucial role in the unity and identity of Bengal,” he remarked.
Calling the CGD project a “lifeline of progress,” the Prime Minister said it marked another milestone in the Centre’s mission to transform West Bengal into a pillar of a developed India. He emphasized that the project will bring clean, safe, and affordable piped gas directly to households, eliminating the need to rely on LPG cylinders.
“This is not just a pipeline, but a commitment to doorstep delivery of essential services,” he asserted, adding that the expanded CNG infrastructure will promote green mobility, reduce pollution, and generate significant cost and time savings for the public.
Highlighting India’s strides in the energy sector, PM Modi pointed out that the number of districts covered by the CGD network has grown from 66 in 2014 to over 550 today. He stressed that even villages and small towns are now being connected to the gas grid, accelerating the transition to a gas-based economy.
He also spotlighted the impact of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched in 2016, which has provided over 31 crore LPG connections, up from fewer than 14 crore in 2014. “This initiative has changed the lives of poor women, freeing them from smoke-filled kitchens and restoring dignity to their lives,” he said.
The Prime Minister highlighted the employment-generating potential of the gas infrastructure projects—from pipeline construction to gas distribution—as well as their ability to strengthen gas-based industries. He also praised the Urja Ganga Project, which has extended gas pipelines to eastern states, including West Bengal, opening up new opportunities for industrial growth and household energy access.
He noted that the number of LPG distributors has also more than doubled—from less than 14,000 before 2014 to over 25,000 today, making gas cylinders easily available even in remote rural areas.
Emphasizing West Bengal’s historic role in shaping India’s cultural and intellectual identity, PM Modi asserted that Bengal’s growth is essential to realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India). He listed a series of Central infrastructure projects aimed at accelerating Bengal’s development, including:
Purva Expressway and Durgapur Expressway
Modernization of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port
Expansion of the Kolkata Metro
Revamp of New Jalpaiguri Station
Introduction of new trains along the Dooars route
“These initiatives are designed to make life easier for citizens and build a future-ready Bengal,” he said, expressing confidence that the state would continue to march forward on the path of development.
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