By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 15, 2017: GAIL (India) Ltd will on Sunday sign memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with aluminum and steel majors in Odisha for supply of natural gas from December 2019.

The (MoUs) with the companies would be signed on the occasion of the laying of foundation stone for new Dhamra-Angul 36 inch main line and Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Paradip 12 inch spur line on December 17 by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union minister of petroleum & natural gas and skill development & entrepreneurship.

“This will enable switch over from existing fuels to cleaner, safer, convenient, economical and happy fuel – natural gas”, Ashutosh Karnatak, director (projects), GAIL (India) Ltd said addressing a press conference on Friday.

The gas major will sign term sheets with companies including Steel Authority of India Ltd (Rourkela), Tata Steel (Kalinganagar), Vedanta (Jharsuguda), Jindal Stainless Ltd (JSL), Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Indian Metal and Ferro Alloys (IMFA).

Dhamra-Angul 36 inch main line is part of the 2655-km Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra Natural Gas Pipeline (JHBDL) popularly known as the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga.

In Odisha, the natural gas pipeline will be constructed at an estimated investment of Rs 4000 crore and will have a length of the 769-km covering 13 districts.

On December 16, Pradhan will inaugurate two CNG stations in Bhubaneswar. Over the coming years, 25 CNG stations will be commissioned in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to supply CNG to vehicles.

Initially, the natural gas will reach Bhubaneswar through special containers called at cascades which be transported by road from Vijayawada. Later, natural gas will be supplied from the pipeline, Karnatak added.

Besides, a MoU will be signed between National Skill Development Collaboration, GAIL, Skill Development Institute, Bhubaneshwar and Labour Net Services India Private Limited to collaborate for training local unemployed youth to ensure their employability in various important jobs related to the Natural Gas Pipeline Project. They would be provided training in important trades such as Pipe-fitters (City Gas Distribution), Pipe-fitters (Oil & Gas), Instrumentation Mechanic (Oil and Gas), Industrial Welder (Oil & Gas) and Salesmen-cum-Operators for CNG stations, etc.