Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday made a pitch to include natural gas and aviation turbine fuel within the ambit of the GST to reduce multiplicity of taxes and improve the business climate.

He also expressed hope that India will see an investment of $118 billion in oil and gas exploration as well as in setting up of natural gas infrastructure in the next few years.

“I make a strong appeal to the finance minister to take this up with the GST Council and at least make a beginning by including natural gas and ATF in the GST,” Pradhan said at India Energy Forum of CERAWeek here.