Anil Ambani firm using NTPC to get cheap gas: Dhawan

Dhawan yesterday wrote to Shinde on advertisements issued by Reliance Natural Resources (RNRL) accusing Oil Ministry of compromising NTPC's interest in a case on gas pricing with Reliance Industries.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP R K Dhawan has cautioned Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde against falling prey to tactics of an Anil Ambani Group firm, which he alleged was using power PSU NTPC as a front to fight Petroleum Ministry.

NTPC has taken RIL to court seeking implementation of a gas supply contract at a price of $2.34 per mmBtu, while government has approved $4.2 per mmBtu as price for RIL's KG-D6 fields.

"RNRL is using NTPC as a front to achieve its objective to receive preferential access to gas at a subsidised price, resulting in government to lose an amount of Rs 35,000 crore," Dhawan wrote to Shinde.


Despite repeated attempts, Dhawan could not be contacted for comments, while no comments could be obtained from RNRL.

Anil Ambani Group is citing a family demerger agreement to seek from RIL more than one-third of KG-D6 peak output at rates 44 per cent lower than the government approved price. The $2.34 per mmBtu price, it says, is the same as what RIL had bid in a NTPC tender in 2004.
Source:PTI
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