OVL to be awarded two more blocks for oil

New Delhi, Mar 9 (UNI) Sudan today announced it will award two more oil and gas blocks for exploration on a nomination basis to ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the 100 per cent overseas arm of Oil&Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC).

The decision was conveyed by Sudanese Ambassador to India Abdalmahmood A Mohammad, at a seminar he also stated that his government proposes to award several other projects in key areas.

These include economic activities such as railways, cyber city, tourism and airports.

Mr Mohammad, was speaking at an Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) on 'India-Sudan Economic Relations'.

''The Sudanese experience with Indian businessmen in the recent past has been so amazing, particularly with ONGC Videsh Ltd which currently owns five blocks for oil and gas exploration, that it has decided to award a good number of projects to the Indian state owned and private businesses on nomination basis,'' said the Ambassador.

Speaking on the occasion, Indian Ambassador to Sudan Deepak Vohra added that ''in the entire African continent, the credibility of Sudan was perhaps the best,'' while convincing the Indian businessmen present at ASSOCHAM, to invest Indian capital in Sudan now, for higher returns.

Mr Vohra also said that the Government of India has, so far committed a credit line of 850 million dollars to Sudan and it would be Indian Embassy's effort there, to accelerate the extension of this amount to Sudan, as the country desperately needs funds to uplift its infrastructure for attracting foreign capital.

ASSOCHAM President Anil K Agarwal, however, said that the identified areas for joint and mutual economic cooperation between Sudan and India should not only be oil and gas, but also textiles, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and many areas in infrastructure including roads, ports, airports, seaports and civil aviation.

UNI RA HS RN1737