The Union government is keen to unlock Tamil Nadu’s hydrocarbon potential and accelerate investments in the state’s oil and gas sector, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said at the India Energy Week while highlighting the need for faster approvals and greater awareness of the economic benefits such projects can deliver.
Speaking in a press conference on the sidelines of the event in Goa on Thursday, Puri said that several profitable and commercially attractive hydrocarbon projects are currently awaiting approval from the Tamil Nadu government, largely due to reservations at the state level.
According to the minister, these concerns often stem from a lack of familiarity with the broader economic and development benefits that flow from hydrocarbon investments. Puri said that delays in granting petroleum mining leases stalled progress for a prolonged period. Following parliamentary interventions and sustained engagement by the Centre.
Emphasising India’s resource-rich profile, Puri said that the country has significant onshore and offshore hydrocarbon potential that must be responsibly developed. In the case of Tamil Nadu, he acknowledged environmental concerns, stressing that all projects must undergo rigorous environmental clearances.
“Once the clearances are in place, there is no question we will move forward,” he said, underscoring the government’s commitment to balancing environmental safeguards with energy development.
