Ahmedabad: Gujarat government yesterday said the Centre had agreed to supply CNG to Gujarat consumers under the Administered Price Mechanism (APM), at the same rates as in Delhi and Mumbai.
“We have achieved a historic victory as the Centre has directed Gas Authority of India (GAIL) to supply CNG to Gujarat at the same price it gives to Delhi and Mumbai under the Administered Price Mechanism,” state energy minister Saurabh Patel said in a statement.
“Gujarat will be getting cheap CNG gas for vehicles as well as home use from December 1.”
“In spite of the Supreme Court order in September 2013 in favour of Gujarat government, the Centre was not implementing it as a part of its discrimination policy against non-Congress ruled states,” Patel said.
“Finally it was due to the constant pressure from the courts that they have agreed to supply gas under APM.”
Gujarat High Court on October 25 had asked the Centre to comply with its order on providing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to Gujarat at the same price as in Delhi and Mumbai by November 18.
The division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala had said that Secretary of Union Petroleum Ministry will have to appear if the order was not complied with.
CNG is sold to vehicle users at around Rs 66 per kg in the state, and with this development it would come down by Rs 20-25, official sources said.
