CAG asks OilMin not to approve RIL investment plan for KG D6

The CAG has asked Oil Ministry not to approve any of Reliance Industries' investment

RELATED ARTICLES

plans for the flagging KG-D6 gas field unless the company gives it unfettered access to audit its spendings.

In a strongly worded letter, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) referred to media reports about the ministry giving nod to RIL's annual capex for KG-D6 that have been pending for past three years, to advise the ministry not to approve any investment except those of "emergent nature".

"It is well within the knowledge of the Ministry that any increase in capital expenditure is likely to have significant adverse impact on government's financial interests," CAG wrote to Oil Secretary on November 9.

Sources, however, said contrary to reports, the ministry is yet to sign on resolutions approving capital expenditure on the KG-D6 block for 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 fiscal pending resolution of CAG audit of spending on the block.

The Ministry wants RIL to give CAG "unfettered access to account books" and pending that it has not approved the firm's investment proposals including annual budget for three years.

"We would like to strongly recommend that pending complete submission of all supporting records by the operator relating to expenditure for previous years upto 2011-12 and comprehensive and detailed scrutiny thereof to verify that the government's financial interests have not been adversely affected in any, the Ministry may examine all relevant issues closely and carefully before considering the desirability of any future approvals of capital expenditure through the annual work programme and budget, development plans or otherwise, except those of an emergent nature," CAG wrote.

Post new comment

E-mail ID will not be published
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

FC NEWSLETTER

Stay informed on our latest news!

EDITORIAL OF THE DAY

  • CCI’s landmark Rs 6,300 crore fine against cement firms is right in spirit

    On the face of it, last Friday’s ruling by the Competition Apellate Tribunal (Compat), the appellate body for cases before the Competition Commissio

INTERVIEWS

GV Nageswara Rao

MD & CEO, IDBI Federal Life

Timothy Moe

Goldman Sachs

Chander Mohan Sethi

CMD, Reckitt Benckiser India

COLUMNIST

Urs Schöttli

Why Malaysia needs change

A few days ago, Malaysia’s ruling coalition claimed another ...

Parvez Imam

How we are being timed to perfection

Are we timed to perfection yet? Precision of time is ...

Bubbles Sabharwal

Talk things out, laugh together, live together

This article is prompted by my friend Neerja’s e-mail which ...