New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while announcing the Union Budget for 2021-’22 on February 1, announced that a gas pipeline project has been lined up for Jammu & Kashmir.
Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of the union territory has lauded the Centre for this decision. Sinha took to his Twitter handle to write – “I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji and Union Home Minister Amit Shah Ji for announcing a new gas pipeline project for the development of Jammu and Kashmir in Budget 2021. I congratulate Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Ji for an inclusive and growth-oriented historic budget for Atma Nirbhar Bharat”.
Notably, Sitharaman’s key announcements regarding the power infrastructure while presenting the Union Budget include an extension of the Ujjwala Scheme, which will now cover around 100 crore additional beneficiaries. The scheme, in the next 3 years, will be taking up 100 more districts under the city gas distribution network. Apart from that, the scheme will focus on founding an independent gas transport system operator.
Besides, the Finance Minister announced an electricity distribution reform scheme costing Rs. 3,05,984 crores, in view of empowering the electricity distribution companies (discoms). The scheme will be executed over the next 5 years. Sitharaman has revealed the prime features of the scheme, which include feeder separation, smart metering, and up-gradation system.
Apart from all these, the FM announced a mission which will generate hydrogen from natural sources or ‘green sources’, namely “Hydrogen Energy Mission 2021-’22”.