1800 Chinese workers to get visa for RIL project
The ministry is in the process of clearing the way for issuing visa to 1,800 Chinese workers, to be brought in by China Petroleum International , for laying part of Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries’ gas pipeline.
By Sanjay Dutta, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Chinese firms may be finding the going tough in opening many business doors here. But the oil ministry is making efforts to smoothen the Dragon’s passage to India as an extension of its plan to widen areas of co-operation with the northern neighbour.
The ministry is in the process of clearing the way for issuing visa to 1,800 Chinese workers, to be brought in by China Petroleum International , for laying part of Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries’ gas pipeline. In reply to a query from the ministry on the issue , the Directorate-General of Hydrocarbons — which regulates exploration firms in the country — has recommended that visa should be granted to the expats “so that the development plan approved by DGH/MOP&NG (ministry) for the block KG-DWN /98/3 could be implemented without any further delay” .
Reliance is laying a 1,400-km pipeline grid linking West Bengal with Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh to ferry gas from its huge find in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The Chinese firm won the contract through a global tender floated for the project, estimated to cost around Rs 17,500 crore.
The exploration regulator’s recommendation is in line with government policy that envisages mandatory security clearance for Chinese and Pakistani nationals if they are to work on offshore projects. Since laying a pipeline entails no offshore work, expat workers and experts do not require any security clearance.
The DGH letter says: “This is a project which is being executed onshore and the same will be under direct supervision of M/s Reliance Transportation Infrastructure. In view of the assurance given by M/s Reliance Transportation Infrastructure, it is recommended that issue of visa may please be recommended to Chinese expatriates so that development plan approved by DGH/MOP&NG for block KGDWN /98/3 could be implemented without any delay.”
The letter also says that the gas pipeline contract is a sequel to the discovery made by company off the Andhra coast under government’s policy of auctioning oil/gas blocks for exploration.
The ministry is in the process of clearing the way for issuing visa to 1,800 Chinese workers, to be brought in by China Petroleum International , for laying part of Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries’ gas pipeline. In reply to a query from the ministry on the issue , the Directorate-General of Hydrocarbons — which regulates exploration firms in the country — has recommended that visa should be granted to the expats “so that the development plan approved by DGH/MOP&NG (ministry) for the block KG-DWN /98/3 could be implemented without any further delay” .
Reliance is laying a 1,400-km pipeline grid linking West Bengal with Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh to ferry gas from its huge find in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The Chinese firm won the contract through a global tender floated for the project, estimated to cost around Rs 17,500 crore.
The exploration regulator’s recommendation is in line with government policy that envisages mandatory security clearance for Chinese and Pakistani nationals if they are to work on offshore projects. Since laying a pipeline entails no offshore work, expat workers and experts do not require any security clearance.
The DGH letter says: “This is a project which is being executed onshore and the same will be under direct supervision of M/s Reliance Transportation Infrastructure. In view of the assurance given by M/s Reliance Transportation Infrastructure, it is recommended that issue of visa may please be recommended to Chinese expatriates so that development plan approved by DGH/MOP&NG for block KGDWN /98/3 could be implemented without any delay.”
The letter also says that the gas pipeline contract is a sequel to the discovery made by company off the Andhra coast under government’s policy of auctioning oil/gas blocks for exploration.
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