Centre not discriminating in Ambani gas row: Deora

New Delhi, Aug 3 (ANI): Proceedings in the Lok Sabha were adjourned till 2 p.m. by the Speaker, Meira Kumar, after members of the Samajwadi Party walked into the well of the House to protest the UPA Government's biased stand on the distribution of gas to a proposed Reliance plant in Uttar Pradesh.

Angry SP members objected when Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora said on Monday that the Central Government is not discriminating against Reliance Natural Resources Limited (RNRL) in the Krishna Basin gas distribution row.

Addressing members of Parliament on the row over gas supply to the proposed RNRL power plant in Uttar Pradesh, Deora said, "Gas to be produced from Reliance Industries' KG-D6 fields has to be utilised in accordance with the gas utilisation policy approved by the government. Reliance is producing 35 million standard cubic meters per day of gas from KG-D6 fields currently; output to go up to 80 mmscmd. There is no discrimination against Uttar Pradesh in the allocation of gas."

"Anil Ambani Group's proposed Dadri power plant would be taken up for allocating natural gas from KG-D6 fields along with other similar upcoming gas-fired power plants. Bombay High Court judgment has implications on Government's gas utilisation policy," he added.

Deora's statement came in response to Samajwadi Party members raising the issue in Lok Sabha on July 29, a day after Anil Ambani accused the Oil Ministry of colluding with the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industry Limited in its design to make a profit of Rs 50,000 crore.

SP members demanded Deora's resignation. They alleged that the Centre had committed an injustice to Uttar Pradesh by denying gas to the Dadri Power plant and this in turn could cost the national exchequer Rs 30,000 crore.

The Anil Ambani owned Reliance Natural Resources Limited (RNRL) has taken up the Dadri project. (ANI)