In the most recent city gas bidding round, state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and a joint venture of billionaire Gautam Adani's gas arm and Total of France Adani Total Gas Ltd bid for the most number of licences to retail CNG to motorists and piped cooking gas to households.
 

According to bid documents made public by the sector regulator, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board, IOC bid for 53 of the 61 geographical areas or GAs that received bids in the 11th city gas licencing round, which closed on December 15. (PNGRB).
 

Adani Total Gas Ltd submitted a proposal for 52 GAs.

 

The Adani group entered the city gas sector in a joint venture with IOC, but later partnered with Total. In the most recent bidding phase, Adani and IOC did not submit a joint bid.

 

In the most recent licencing round, the PNGRB awarded 65 GAs, including Jammu, Nagpur, Pathankot, and Madurai. In Chhattisgarh, four GAs did not receive a single bid.

 

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) bid for 37 GAs and Torrent Gas for 28. Indraprastha Gas Ltd - the firm that retails CNG in the national capital and adjoining areas, bid for 15 GAs, Gujarat Gas for 14 and Assam Gas for 10 GAs.

 

With 16 bidders, the GA comprised of the districts of Baloda Bazar, Gariyaband, and Raipur in Chhattisgarh was the most sought after licence. Jammu received 13 bids, while Nagpur received 15.
 

The PNGRB said last week that an investment of up to Rs 80,000 crore is planned in the 61 GAs to build city gas infrastructure.

The 65 GAs available in the 11th bid round are distributed over 215 districts in 19 states and one union territory, covering 26% of India's population and 33% of its land area.
 

Currently, PNGRB has authorised 228 geographical areas in 27 states and UTs, covering approximately 53% of the country's geographical area and 70% of its population.

 

In the last city gas distribution (CGD) bidding round - the 10th CGD bidding round, 50 GAs were authorised for the development of CGD network.
 

In the present round, 215 districts clubbed into 65 GAs are being offered. Bids were received for 61 GAs, according to PNGRB.

During 2018 and 2019, PNGRB gave out licenses to retail CNG to automobiles and piped cooking gas to household kitchens in 136 GAs. This extended coverage of the city gas network to 406 districts and around 70 per cent of the country's population.

The push for city gas expansion is part of the government's plan for raising the share of natural gas in the country's energy basket to 15 per cent by 2030 from the current 6.3 per cent.
 

While 86 GAs, made up of 174 districts, were offered for bidding in the 9th round that concluded in August 2018, 50 GAs, comprising 124 districts, were offered in the 10th round in 2019.