AG&P Pratham Targets 10,000 Piped-Gas Connections in Tamil Nadu Within Two Months

AG&P Pratham, a key player in the city gas distribution (CGD) sector, has announced its ambitious plan to provide approximately 10,000 PNG (piped natural gas) connections in Tamil Nadu by the end of March 2024. This initiative is part of the company's commitment to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board’s (PNGRB) National PNG Drive, wherein AG&P Pratham aims to install a total of 53,136 new PNG connections across the five states it operates in within the next two months.

The company officially launched its participation in the drive with the unveiling of the inaugural PNG connection in Kancheepuram on January 28, conducted by Anil Kumar Jain, Chairperson of PNGRB. Additionally, Jain inaugurated the operations of the LCNG station at Semmencherry, Kancheepuram.

As part of its efforts to encourage PNG adoption, AG&P Pratham has introduced exclusive schemes and benefits for new users. Abhilesh Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of AG&P Pratham, highlighted some of the incentives, stating, “We have launched a very attractive scheme on this occasion. This includes a waiver of registration of ₹354 and a security deposit of ₹6000. AG&P is also offering free gas for one month to customers who start consuming gas by March 31, 2024. With these scheme elements, PNG will be more affordable than LPG.”

Gupta also emphasized the company's commitment to women empowerment, with plans to ensure that more than 50% of the workforce involved in Direct Marketing are women.

Anil Kumar Jain, Chairperson of PNGRB, commended Tamil Nadu for leading the way in green fuel adoption. He mentioned that the state's unique landscape, featuring coastal regions, industrial clusters, and defense infrastructure, provides substantial potential for green fuel adoption. Jain expressed the intention to launch a CNG drive after the national PNG drive campaign, further accelerating the transition.

Reflecting on the evolution of consumer choices, Jain noted, “How LPG ushered in the next phase of change and was seen as a better choice among consumers when compared to wood as a fuel, today the same consumer has PNG as an alternative to LPG.”

AG&P Pratham began its operations in Kancheepuram in 2021 and currently boasts a network of 31 CNG stations catering to buses, cars, autorickshaws, and various commercial vehicles. The company has received registrations from 30,813 households and is serving seven major industrial customers. Additionally, close to 170 industrial and commercial customers have expressed interest in transitioning to piped natural gas.

AG&P Pratham's extensive network spans 3,87,938 PNG connections across five states, solidifying its position in the CGD sector.

HBL