GAIL will put RIL interest share in PSB term deposits

NEW DELHI: After Reliance Industries demanded interest on KG-D6 gas payments flowing into gas pool account operated by GAIL, the state-owned firm has agreed to invest the receivables in short-term interest bearing deposits with public sector banks. GAIL has written to oil ministry saying it will invest monthly accruals in the gas pool account in 271 days deposits of four empanelled banks - State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Corporation Bank.

The government had in November hiked domestic natural gas prices by 33% to $5.61 per million British thermal unit. In case of RIL's main gas field in KG-D6 block, it, however, ordered buyers to pay the firm old rate of $4.2 and deposit the balance $1.41 in the gas pool account.

The incremental $1.41 would become due to RIL if it can legally prove that Dhirubhai-1 and 3 gas output dropping to a tenth of projected 80 million cubic meters per day was due to geological reasons and not because of hoarding.RIL has written to the Oil Ministry saying it is entitled to get the principal amount together with market interest rate in case it wins the case.

GAIL Director (Finance) P K Jain wrote to the Ministry saying the amount received has been credited to gas pool account and after paying royalty on monthly basis, it will be invested in short-term deposits.“The investment is made by calling the interest card rates from the banks empanelled with Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) i.e. SBI, IOB, OBC and Corporation Bank,” he said.