BENGALURU, July 29 Reuters Adani Total Gas reported a jump in firstquarter profit on Monday, helped by strong demand for the cleanerburning compressed natural gas CNG, sending its shares 2 higher.

The Adani group company39;s consolidated profit rose 15 to 1.72 billion rupees around 21 million in the three months ended June 30, marking its sixth straight rise in quarterly profit.

The gas distributor39;s CNG sales volumes, which account for over half of its total sales, jumped 20 during the quarter with the addition of 24 new stations across the country.

Demand for CNG, used mainly in the transport sector, comes amid a government push to rein in vehicular pollution. India39;s fuel consumption in the quarter was also driven by strong industrial activity in the runup to the general elections.

Revenue from operations rose to 12.39 billion rupees from 11.35 billion rupees a year ago.

Sales volume in the company39;s piped natural gas PNG segment, its secondbiggest, rose 11 to 77 million standard cubic meter of gas per day.

The rise in profit comes even as Indian city gas distributors bought spot LNG the key raw material for CNG at higher import prices amid a decline in domestic output.

1 83.7010 Indian rupees

Reporting by Manvi Pant in Bengaluru; Editing by Eileen Soreng

Source Reuters