When LNG will course through infrastructure veins
The year 2012 will make a mark in the industrial history of Kerala with the launch of the eagerly awaited LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal in Kochi. The Petronet LNG project on the Puthuvype island promises to add a new dimension to the infrastructure scene in Kerala, elevating the State's position as a key stakeholder in the progress of a number of ventures across South India.
The terminal costs an estimated Rs.3,750 crore. The investments do not stop there. Another Rs.2,500 crore is being spent on making vessels specially designed for carrying the gas. GAIL (India) Ltd., formerly Gas Authority of India Ltd., is laying pipelines to carry the gas to various locations within Kerala and outside at a cost of Rs.5,000 crore.
The LNG project envisages long-term natural gas supply. Liquefaction of natural gas, its marine transportation, storage and loading facilities, re-gasification, and laying pipelines for supply to the market are part of the project.
Mr Mukherjee also announced a $22m fund to help the struggling micro-finance industry which is facing a liquidity crisis after borrowers in parts of India stopped repaying loans. He said the government's performance in handling the economy was mixed.
This is especially notable when you consider the exponential growth of air travel in places like India, China, Brazil and elsewhere in the developing world. We got to this point through a combination of better training and regulatory oversight,
The Committee of Secretaries is currently working out a viable model to determine how the subsidy component would be fixed, as urea production is based on different forms of feedstock such as gas, naphtha, fuel oil and coal.