Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble CM, Andhra Pradesh inaugurates AG&P Pratham - THINK Gas’ CNG and PNG projects in Tirupati & Nellore.

Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble CM, Andhra Pradesh (AP) was present in an event in Tirupati organised by AG&P Pratham - THINK Gas to showcase their CNG & PNG infrastructure in AP and to launch new projects being planned by the company in Tirupati, Chittoor & Nellore Districts. The following CNG & PNG elements were showcased in the event: 

● Launch of Domestic Piped Natural Gas supplies in Tirupati District 
● Flag-off of Rally of CNG-powered vehicle  
● Inauguration of Industrial Piped Natural Gas supplies in Tirupati District 
● Inauguration of AG&P Pratham - THINK Gas’ CNG Mother Station in Chittoor  
● Foundation stone laying for the City Gas Distribution (CGD) Skill Development Centre 
at Gajulamandyam  
● Foundation stone laying for AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas LCNG Station in Nellore 
● Hands over of CNG-powered Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) to the Municipal 
Commissioner for Solid Waste Collection in Tirupati City

Tirupati, 12th January 2025 – In the presence of Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, AG&P Pratham – THINK Gas took a major step in its infrastructure roll-out plan for the Districts of Tirupati, Chittoor, Nellore, Annamayya, Anantapuram, Sri Satya Sai and YSR Kadapa Districts in a mega event held today at Tirupati.  

The Hon’ble Chief Minister launched several transformative projects in the presence of Shri B.C Janardhan Reddy, Hon’ble Minister of Roads & Buildings and Infrastructure and Investments of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Anagani Satya Prasad, Hon’ble Minister (Revenue, Registration & Stamps), Sri. Suresh Kumar Principal Secretary, I&I ,  GAD(Poll), Dinesh Kumar IAS., Shri Dr. Venkateswar Salijamala District Collector, Tirupati. Shri Daggumalla Prasada  Rao, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Chittoor, MLAs  Shri Pulivarthi Venkata Mani Prasad (Nani), Arani srinivasulu, Gali Bhanu Prakash, MLC kancharla Srikanth,  Shri Abhilesh Gupta, MD & CEO of AG&P Pratham – THINK Gas, Shri Takeshi Shinohara, MD, Osaka Gas India Pvt. Ltd., Shri Jitousho Takahiro, CMD, Sumitomo Corporation India Pvt. 
Ltd., Shri Kazuhiro Hasumi, President, Konoike India Pvt. Ltd. Along with the senior leadership team of the company.

At the inauguration, Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh, said, “Andhra Pradesh has the unique distinction of being the second-largest producer of natural gas in India, thanks to the Krishna-Godavari Basin. With companies like AG&P Pratham -THINK Gas building state-of-the-art infrastructure, and bringing gas to our doors, we are ensuring that our natural gas resources are used right here in Andhra Pradesh 
to power our homes, industries, and transport sectors and provide required impetus for economic development. He also said that Andhra Pradesh will lead the way towards a net-zero economy. Our longstanding friendship with Japan has resulted in strong economic and diplomatic ties which has benefited various sectors including energy. I would like to thank the Japanese delegation for being a part of this initiative in Andhra Pradesh.”

Taking a significant leap towards achieving the state’s Net-zero goal, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Nara Chandrabadu Naidu welcomed investment in the clean and green energy sector at the event. Sharing his views on the future of the sector in the state, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Nara Chandrabadu Naidu  said “Clean energy and green energy are the order of the day. We have recently announced the green energy policy through which we are targeting to 
attract ₹10,000 crore, investment and 7. 5 lakhs employment opportunities. Under the Swarna Andhra 2047 vision, we are working towards cost optimization of fuel for cleaner and a greener future. With this Andhra Pradesh will become a green energy hub in the future. There is no doubt about this. Andhra Pradesh is strategically located with a long sea coast, strong port network and extensive highway connectivity which makes it the best suitable place for Natural Gas adoption. We will be able to associate with AG&P Pratham -THINK Gas on their mission to enable every home and every vehicle with Natural Gas. I will be happy if every home and industry can be connected with Natural Gas. I welcome the future plan of AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas to create 10,000 job opportunities and investment of ₹10,000 crore, in the next 5 years. I am assuring them that we will extend  all possible support and cooperation.  I highly appreciate the skill development project started by the company in Gajulamandyam. With the growing demand for Natural Gas in the state, our aim is to synchronize green hydrogen with Natural Gas and export to the global community. We are also willing to consider a subsidy for Natural Gas.”

Earlier, Hon'ble Chief Minister visited a residence in Tiruchanur and launched AG&P Pratham - THINK Gas’ Domestic PNG network in the state by lighting up the kitchen stove. While interacting with the residents Shri Nara Chandrabadu Naidu said that ‘using natural gas is a game-changer for households, offering convenience, savings, and a cleaner alternative over traditional fuels’. Hon'ble Chief Minister also flagged off a CNG vehicle rally comprising of auto-rickshaws, two wheelers and light commercial vehicles operating on CNG to increase 
awareness about CNG in the Tirupati City. 

In a significant boost to natural gas infrastructure in Chittoor & Nellore Districts, the Hon'ble Chief Minister inaugurated a CNG Mother Station at Anupalli, Chittoor and laid the foundation stone for a LCNG station at Nellore both of which are source points for natural gas distribution in the respective districts.  

Speaking at the event, Shri Abhilesh Gupta, MD & CEO of AG&P Pratham – THINK Gas, said “Andhra Pradesh is undergoing a significant transformation in its energy mix and it's an honour for us to play a pivotal role in this journey. AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas has presence across 7 districts in the state and have laid over 700 kms of steel and MDPE pipelines to create a natural gas ecosystem that is bringing a change in the quality of lives of the people. Today, we have a strong network of 51 CNG stations catering to automotive segment, have reached over 23,000 domestic household kitchens and are supplying natural gas to over 50 industrial & commercial customers contributing towards a pollution free environment. Over the next few years, our investment in Andhra Pradesh will cross an impressive ₹10,000 crore, and we will be able to generate employment opportunities for more than 10,000 people through which we hope make a difference to the social fabric of the state.” 

In the presence of Shri N Chandrababu Naidu, Shri Abhilesh Gupta, MD & CEO of AG&P Pratham – THINK Gas also handed over CNG-powered Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) to the Municipal Commissioner of Tirupati Smt. N. Mourya for Municipal Solid Waste Collection, reconfirming the state’s commitment towards sustainable municipal solid waste management practices.  

At Gajulamandyam, the CM inaugurated industrial PNG supply to Pondy Oxides and Chemicals Limited (POCL), a large industrial customer which has chosen to adopt PNG to reduce carbon footprint for a sustainable future. The Hon'ble Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas’ City Gas Distribution (CGD) Skill Development Centre, which will equip local youth and its employees with skills for a career in the natural gas sector.  

Shri Abhilesh Gupta, MD & CEO of AG&P Pratham – THINK Gas, extended his gratitude to the Officers in the Chief Minister’s Office, all public representatives, District Collector, Municipal Commissioner of Tirupati, District Police officials and government officials and other for their continuous support in AG&P Pratham -THINK Gas’ project activities and their invaluable support in making this event a resounding success. 

The initiatives launched in Tirupati reinforces the states commitment towards advancing the green energy infrastructure and marks a significant milestone in its journey towards a cleaner, greener and prosperous industrial future. AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas is committed to be instrumental in leading and driving this transformation. 

About AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas: 
AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas is a leading player in the Indian City Gas Distribution (CGD) business. Together, AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas holds 19 CGD licenses awarded by the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) to exclusively develop CGD infrastructure and provide natural gas across 50 Districts in the 10 states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Our CGD network will supply Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for use in vehicles as well as Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to domestic households, commercial establishments and industries. 
Over the next few years, our network will comprise of more than 24,000 inch-km of steel pipelines, 2000+ CNG stations catering to the needs of more than 150 million customers and cover 324,000 square kilometres. 
AG&P Pratham-THINK Gas together is the largest 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in greenfield CGD business in India. Our marquee investors include I-Squared Capital, and the Japanese consortium of OSAKA Gas, JOIN, Sumitomo Corporation and Konoike Transport. We have been recognized for our efforts on various industry forums for our contributions across all business verticals – Safety, ESG, Marketing, CRM, Procurement, Sustainability and 
Risk Management.