Duliajan: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL) to increase its capacity in order to meet the rising demand of energy. Participating in the diamond jubilee celebration of the AGCL at Duliajan here today, the Chief Minister said that AGCL should venture into tapping energy generated from electricity other than energy produced from fossil fuel in view of the growing importance of innovation and diversification in today's business world.

He congratulated its past and present executives and officials and paid tributes to those whose vision and initiatives were instrumental in setting up this industry. He also recalled the contributions of noted technocrat Debendra Nath Acharya for his role in the consolidation of AGCL during its fledgling stage. Stating that AGCL has emerged as a reliable and technically sound industry in terms of supply and distribution of natural gas, the Chief Minister said that AGCL has become a notable company in supplying natural gas to the vast area covering various natural gas-based industries in Upper Assam.

"Assam Gas Company has played a pivotal role in the production by providing gas in about 420 tea gardens and tea factories located in districts like Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, and Golaghat".

He also lauded AGCL for its recent success in winning a bid for building the City Gas Distribution (CGD) Network jointly with Oil India Limited in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Darrang, Udalguri, Sonitpur, and Biswanath districts on the north bank of the Brahmaputra as well as several districts of Tripura.

Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli. Tea Tribe Welfare Minister San jay Kisan, Sadiya MLA and Chairman of AGCL Bolin Chetia, Duliajan MLA Teros Gowala, Naharkatia MLA Taranga Gogoi, Chairman of DNPL Rupam Goswami were present on the occasion.