‘No household gas connection in 2018’

State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid
State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid

State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid on Thursday said now the government has no plan to provide a fresh household gas connection in 2018, reports UNB.

The government keeps providing household gas connection suspended as the gas demand is higher than the gas supply and alternative energy is easily available, he said while responding to a starred question from Jatiya Party MP Mohammad Abdul Munim Chowdhury (Habiganj-1).
The state minister said the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) instead of pipeline gas for the household purpose is encouraged.
In reply to another question from ruling party MP Shamsul Haque Tuku (Pabna-1), Nasrul Hamid said the country’s reserve of gas is some 12.39 trillion cubic feet (TCF) as per the statistics of July 2017.
The junior minister said some 97.3 billion cubic feet gas was supplied in fiscal 2016-2017. If the present rate of gas production continues, it’ll be possible to supply gas for 11-12 years with the present reserve, he added.
He, however, said there is a possibility to discover more gas in Bangladesh. But the demand for gas is going up due to the economic growth and improvement of lifestyle.
Answering to a starred question from independent MP Shirajul Islam Mollah (Narsingdi-3), the power minister said the present government so far set 88 power plants with total capacity of 8,819-megawatt after it assumed office.
Besides, 660-megawatt electricity, imported from India, was added to the national grid, he said.
The power generation capacity (including captive power) increased more than three times during the two consecutive regimes of the current government. Now the power general capacity is 16,046 megawatt.
In reply to a starred question from Awami League Firoja Begum Chino (Reserved Seat-33), the state minister said more than 18 lakh electricity connections were given in the current fiscal year.