Welcoming the initiative, Mr Pradhan said that the Government is pro-actively striving to promote clean fuel in the country. He said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, the Government is promoting the use of gas in the country, thereby providing a better lifestyle to the people and also fulfilling the COP-21 commitments to curb pollution. Mr Pradhan said that the Gas share in the country’s fuel basket is just 7% compared to world average of around 24%. Describing the pilot programme to run two wheelers on CNG as historic, he said that after evaluating its experience, it will be expanded very fast. Expressing the Government’s commitment to Clean Delhi, the Minister said that he has already written to Delhi Government to make Bawana power plant fully operational on LNG so that cheaper and clean power is made available to residents of Delhi, but no satisfactory reply has been received. He said that 350 MW Badarpur Thermal power plant in the capital is making several times more pollution than all the vehicles of Delhi put together.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Prakash Javadekar said that the Government is fully committed to control pollution in the country, and for this purpose, there will be a jump from Euro-IV type fuel to Euro-VI by 2020. He said that Environment Ministry will fully support the endeavours to promote clean fuel, including Gas.