The Central government has approved doorstep delivery services for CNG by start-ups, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said on Tuesday.
“We are bringing in innovation in energy retailing and making it mobile and delivering at the doorsteps,” Pradhan said while inaugurating 201 CNG stations under the banner of GAIL (India) Ltd and subsidiaries.
Pradhan also inaugurated PNG supply in Jhansi and mobile units to refuel vehicles at Raigad.
Asserting that the future of fuel retail is mobile, Pradhan outlined the benefits, which include cost advantage as well as benefits in terms of reaching out to consumers at shopping malls, offices and other places. He also said that going forward, mobile battery swapping should be explored as well.
Diesel delivery
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has already allowed the diesel delivery by start-ups. Last year, oil marketing companies had sought expressions of interest under their initiative for door-to-door delivery of diesel by start-ups.
A number of private firms have begun diesel delivery in major Indian cities.
With the push to raise the share of gas in India’s energy mix, opportunity exists for a delivery-based start-up ecosystem to develop around CNG, Pradhan said.