Seven districts of Assam and Tripura in the North East have been included in the 86 geographical areas offered in the ninth round of bidding for City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks by Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB).

Assam's, Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup in Brahmaputra Valley and Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts of Barak Valley have been included, PNGRB Chairman D K Saraf said at the Ninth CGD Bidding Round Roadshow held in Guwahati on Thursday.

Tripura's, West Tripura and Gomati district have been included in the geographical areas for bidding, he added.

The Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL) already provides Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to six districts of Upper Assam namely, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat.

"Gas production in North East is, however, much less than requirement and so the Barauni-Guwahati pipeline is the extension of the Urja Ganga pipeline and will supply gas from Guwahati to all state capitals of the North East," said Saraf.