Pradhan also said that about 30 lakh homes in the country are getting piped natural gas (PNG) at present, and the target is to take the number to 1 crore.
The government is eyeing 25 crore LPG connections in the country by 2018, petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Saturday.
Pradhan said that the number of LPG connections in the country was 14 crore when Modi government came to power in 2014.
"We have added 8.5 crore connections in three years, and the target is to touch the 25-crore mark by December 2018," he said.
Pradhan also said that about 30 lakh homes in the country are getting piped natural gas (PNG) at present, and the target is to take the number to 1 crore.
"This will lead to investment of Rs 30-40,000 crore. There will also be massive requirement of skilled workforce throughout the oil and gas value chain," he said.
Earlier, Pradhan, who is also the minister for skill development and entrepreneurship, inaugurated the Skill Development Institute set up by ONGC at Gandhinagar. The Institute is among the six being set up by PSUs in different parts of the country for preparing manpower for oil and gas industry and capacity building.
The minister said that the central government, states, industry and other stakeholders would have to work together to create employment opportunities for the 1 crore youths who are joining the workforce every year.
Even as the Centre has gone into a huddle amid concerns over the slow economic growth, Pradhan said there was no slowdown because of demonetisation.
"There is no effect (on the economy) of demonetisation. There is no economic slowdown. If there was a slowdown, the impact would have been visible in January, February or March. Raising a question about it in September is ridiculous," Pradhan said when asked about the impact of demonetisation on the economy.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Dharmendra Pradhan")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}