Rise in gas prices only to benefit Reliance

Motive to collect funds for election-alleges CPI
A fraud with the nation 

Reply from the Petroleum Ministry

Letter of Com Gurudas Das Gupta

Communist Party of India (CPI)  has charged that union cabinet’s decision of  fixing the cost of  natural gas produced from RIL KG Basin at USD 8.4 MMBTU is a fraud with the nation and a move to give billions to the Ambanis while the actual cost of production  is USD 2.74 MMBTU as told by the Ministry of petroleum and Natural Gas in the Parliament vide its reply dated 2nd August 2013 to a question by com Gurudas Das Gupta MP. This is only to give huge sum of money to the Ambanis with a view to collect crores from them for the election fund.  This was alleged by Com Amarjeet Kaur, national secretary CPI while addressing a group of comrades here at Ludhiana. She said that despite repeated requests and queries neither the finance ministry nor any other government agency came forward to tell the actual cost of production. Therefore Com Gurudas had to file a PIL in the Supreme Court. The court has already served notice to 6 parties including the Finance and Petroleum Ministry and RIL in this regard.  Petroleum and Natural Gas ministry ultimately gave the reply after computing the financial statement of the company 2011-2012. It is a clear violation of democratic norms and cheating with the national exchequer by the government. This hefty benefit to the RIL will lead to increase in the prices of LPG, Power Supply by Rs.2.00 per unit and rise in the prices of fertilizers like urea. Whereas the RIL will reap a benefit of Rs.81000 crorers in the next five years, the nation will lose Rs.2,20,000 crorers she said.  No wonder the Congress is opposed to RTI on financial status of the parties. CPI has demanded immediate review of the cabinet’s decision as  already the RIL is being given  USD 4.2 MMBTU which is nearly 1.5 times of the cost of production.  Com Gurudas has  written a letter to the Prime Minister. 
(Letter of Com Gurudas Das Gupta and reply from the Petroleum ministry is attached)