Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the country’s self-reliance in the field of energy, as it achieved record gas production, as a step towards the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’.
In a post on X, he congratulated the people of the country for this feat.
“Our self-reliance in the field of energy is very important in achieving the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’. This record gas production is proof of our commitment in this direction,” the Prime Minister posted.
In FY24. India achieved 36.43 billion cubic feet (BCM) gas production, from 28.7 BCM in FY21. The country is expected to reach 45.3 BCM gas production by FY26, according to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri.
“The figures are the proof. Under the guidance of PM Modi, India is moving ahead with new energy, new enthusiasm and new resolve,” Minister Puri posted on X.
Under the new government, the Oil Ministry’s priorities are to expand the nation’s gas consumption, promote green hydrogen, and advance oil and gas exploration. In the meantime, India’s natural gas consumption increased 7.1% this year in June to 5,594 million metric standard cubic meters (MMSCM). In an effort to fulfill the growing demand for green fuel, the gas companies have been growing their network. June saw a 2.6% increase in the use of petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, reaching 20 million metric tons (MMT).
The only nation where the cost of gasoline and diesel dropped between November 2021 and April 2024 was India. Minister Puri notes that gasoline and diesel were deregulated during the UPA administration and claims that the government is enabling talks to address margin concerns between the dealers and the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Late last month, Puri made the observation that although gas prices have decreased in India, they have increased in the neighboring nations.
