<span style="color: #222222;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that rapid expansion of Gas based economy is a must to achieve self reliant India.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Dedicating to the Nation Kochi-Mangaluru Natural Gas Pipeline through a video conference today, the Prime Minister announced that the Government plans to achieve 'One Nation One Gas Grid' and to shift to a gas-based economy as this has several environmental benefits.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi said, dedication of the Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline is part of the journey to move towards One Nation One Gas Grid.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, this pipeline will help improve clean energy access.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, the Government is taking policy initiatives to increase the share of natural gas in India's energy basket from 6 Percent to 15 Percent.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi said since 2014, the government has brought in various reforms across the Oil and Gas sector covering exploration and production, natural gas, marketing and distribution.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The 450-kilometre long natural gas pipeline has been built by Gail (India) Ltd between Kochi in Kerala and Mangaluru in Karnataka.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister termed the day as an important milestone for both the people of Kerala and Karnataka as the two states are being connected by a natural gas pipeline.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, the pipeline will have a positive impact on the economic growth of these two states.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">While listing the advantages of the pipeline, the Prime Minister emphasized that the pipeline would improve the ease of living in both the states and reduce the expenses of the poor, middle class and entrepreneurs of both the states.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, the pipeline would become the base of the Gas Distribution System in many cities and would form the base of the CNG based transport system in these cities.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said the pipeline would provide clean energy to Mangalore Refinery and would play a major role in reducing the pollution in both the states.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He added the reduction of pollution will have a direct impact on the environment akin to planting millions of trees which would help in improving people's health and reducing their health related expenditure.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister said that less pollution and clean air would attract more tourists to the city.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He added that construction of this pipeline has generated 1.2 million man days of employment and would develop a new ecosystem of employment and self-employment after its commissioning which would help the fertilizer, petrochemical and power sector.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">It will also help India in saving thousands of crores of Foreign exchange for the country.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister cited that experts around the world say that in the 21st century, whichever country emphasizes the most on connectivity and clean energy would reach new heights.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He stressed that the pace of work in the connectivity front in the country happening now is never seen before in earlier decades.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He further said in the 27 years before 2014, only a 15 thousand kilometer natural gas pipeline was built. But at present work is underway on more than 16 thousand kilometers of gas pipeline nationwide which will be completed in the next 5-6 years.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He also cited examples of increased CNG fuel stations, PNG connections and LPG connections delivered by this Government which was never seen before.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said, these increased connections have reduced the shortage of kerosene and many States and Union Territories have declared themselves kerosene free.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi said, the policy initiatives of his Government has reduced dependency on kerosene in the states due to the increased usage of cooking gas.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister informed that there were around 14 crore LPG connections till 2014 and since then in six years similar number of new connections were added.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister said that efforts are on to prepare for the country's future energy needs.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">To achieve this goal, natural gas is being focussed upon on the one hand, energy resources are being diversified on the other hand.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He illustrated the point with examples of the proposed world's biggest renewable energy plant in Gujarat and stress on biofuels.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He informed the audience that sincere work is on for getting ethanol from rice and sugarcane. Goal of ethanol blending in petrol upto 20 per cent in 10 years has been set.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister assured that the Government is committed to provide every citizen affordable, pollution-free fuel and electricity.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister said that the development of the coastal areas and welfare of hardworking fishermen is one of the important priority of the Government.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He outlined a multi-pronged plan for coastal area development comprising transforming the blue economy, improvement of coastal infrastructure and protecting the marine ecosystem.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said that a comprehensive plan for the development of the blue economy in the coastal states like Karnataka, Kerala and other South Indian states is under implementation.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He said the Blue Economy is going to be an important source of Aatamnirbhar India.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Ports and coastal roads are being connected with a focus on multi-modal connectivity.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Modi asserted that the Central government is working with an aim to turn our coastal region into a role model of ease of living and ease of doing business.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister touched upon the fisherman communities in the coastal areas who are not only dependent on the ocean wealth but also are the guardian of the same.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">For this, the Government has taken many steps to protect and enrich the coastal ecosystem.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Steps like helping fishermen with deep sea fishing, separate fisheries department, providing affordable loans and Kisan Credit Cards to the people engaged in aquaculture are helping both entrepreneurs and general fishermen.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Prime Minister also talked of the recently launched 20 thousand crore Matasya Samapada Yojna which will directly benefit lakhs of fishermen in Kerala and Karnataka.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">India is progressing rapidly in the fishery related exports.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">All steps are being taken to turn India into a quality processed sea-food hub.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">India can play a major role in fulfilling the growing demand of seaweed, as farmers are being encouraged for seaweed farming. </span><br />