Govt undecided over referring gas pricing to GoM
Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said that govt has not yet decided to refer the vexed issue of natural gas pricing to a Group of Ministers (GoM).
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Government has not yet decided to refer the vexed issue of natural gas pricing to a Group of Ministers (GoM) and consultations were still on, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said on Friday.
"No, I don't think it (the gas pricing row) has been referred to a GoM," he said.
Power and fertilizer ministries are demanding government regulate the price of gas to be produced by Reliance Industries so as to keep electricity cost and fertilizer subsidy down. They wanted a GoM to look into the issue.
Petroleum Ministry, on the other hand, is in agreement with the pricing approach adopted by RIL and wants all contractual obligations like marketing freedom given to firms investing in hydrocarbon hunt, be honoured.
"There have been demands from certain quarters but I am not aware if the authorities have decided to form a GoM," Deora said but was non-committal when asked if the issue would be resolved at the level of a secretaries panel and never be referred to GoM.
Deora had yesterday said the pricing row would be resolved within a month.
"We are very seriously ingrained in the whole issue of pricing of gas to be produced from newer areas particularly in the deepsea. Consultations are on and I hope the issue will be resolved in next 15 days... may be one month at the best," he had told reporters Thursday.
A Committee of Secretaries, headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, is looking into the issue. "Presentations by gas producers and consuming side have all been completed. Now, they are in the process of going internal consultations and will present a view of us shortly," Deora had stated.
"No, I don't think it (the gas pricing row) has been referred to a GoM," he said.
Power and fertilizer ministries are demanding government regulate the price of gas to be produced by Reliance Industries so as to keep electricity cost and fertilizer subsidy down. They wanted a GoM to look into the issue.
Petroleum Ministry, on the other hand, is in agreement with the pricing approach adopted by RIL and wants all contractual obligations like marketing freedom given to firms investing in hydrocarbon hunt, be honoured.
"There have been demands from certain quarters but I am not aware if the authorities have decided to form a GoM," Deora said but was non-committal when asked if the issue would be resolved at the level of a secretaries panel and never be referred to GoM.
Deora had yesterday said the pricing row would be resolved within a month.
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"We are very seriously ingrained in the whole issue of pricing of gas to be produced from newer areas particularly in the deepsea. Consultations are on and I hope the issue will be resolved in next 15 days... may be one month at the best," he had told reporters Thursday.
A Committee of Secretaries, headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, is looking into the issue. "Presentations by gas producers and consuming side have all been completed. Now, they are in the process of going internal consultations and will present a view of us shortly," Deora had stated.
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