Even as the gas price hike announced by the UPA government a few days before the poll bugle was blown hasn?t materialised and is caught in an imbroglio, Reliance Industries and its partners have cut their projection for KG-D6 gas output for FY15 to a new low. The companies are learnt to have informed the petroleum ministry that the average output from the block for 2014-15 would be 12.31 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd), down 6.53% from the 13.17 mmscmd achieved in FY14.
The production from the once-prolific field that commenced in April 2009 had peaked at 69.43 mmscmd in March 2010 but has since fallen precipitously.
In what gave further credence to their claim that geological complexities had come in the way of increasing output, RIL and partners BP and Niko Resources have also lowered the capital expenditure estimate to $403.23 million for FY15, 57% less than the expenditure incurred in the block in FY14.
RIL?s new estimate casts doubts on the feasibility of the government?s latest road map for increasing India?s gas production. Unveiling a plan in July 2013, petroleum minister Veerappa Moily said the country?s overall gas production from various sources would increase 66% (from 105 mmscmd in FY14) to 175 mmscmd in 2016-17.
Reduced gas output spells bad news for consuming industries like power, fertiliser and city gas distribution, which are already vying for a larger share in the pool available. Under the gas allocation policy, fertiliser gets top priority, followed by city gas and power. Gas-based power capacities of 18,000 MW are stranded due to lack of adequate domestic fuel supplies.
RIL and government are engaged in arbitration over the former?s alleged suppression of gas and jacking up of capital expenditure (the government had slapped a $1.8-billion penalty on RIL).
The petroleum ministry and the upstream regulator, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), have put the blame on the explorers for ?major delay in development work? in KG-D6. ?There is a major delay in development activities because the explorers are awaiting clarity on gas price,? a senior petroleum ministry official told FE. This week, the Election Commission stood firm on its stance and said no to the ministry?s plea for a review of its decision to defer the implementation of new gas pricing regime based on the Rangarajan formula. The new gas price (which would have been nearly double the current price of $4.2 per million metric British thermal units had the formula been applied), was to take effect from April 1, but for the EC diktat.
The exploration firms, RIL and its foreign partners BP and Niko Resources, had spent 23% less in the block when compared to the budgeted expenditure in FY14. The expenses incurred in the block came down to $940.48 million in the revised estimate against the budgeted estimate of $1.22 billion.
RIL and BP, its partner in KG-D6, did not respond to queries sent by FE, seeking their views.
It is learnt that the explorers have spent particularly lower (than budgeted) amounts in the development of the D1 and D3 fields, which are the mainstay fields of the KG-D6 block. In FY14, $87.57 million was the budget estimate for these fields, while they spent only $41.271 million. Also, the cost of development of four satellite fields (D2, 6, 19 and 22) have come down drastically to $15.583 million in the revised estimate from $202.9 million in the budget estimate, sources say.
The Opposition parties brought in no-confidence motion against the government on issues like Grant of special status to Andhra Pradesh, lynchings, atrocities against women and dalits and dilution of a law meant for Scheduled Caste.
The Centre has said on Wednesday that it is planning a a proposal to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 to frame rules on salaries and services of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and Information Commissioners (ICs) . A notice of intention has been given to introduce 'The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2018' in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage during the ongoing session of Parliament, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
As per the proposed amendment, the salaries, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the CIC and ICs "shall be such as may be prescribed by the central government". The tenure of information commissioners at the centre and the states is proposed to be amended from "a term of five years" to "terms as may be prescribed by the central government".
The CPI(M) has on Wednesday demanded the enactment of a strong law in the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament against lynching to meet the Supreme Court order. On Tuesday, the top court had asked the Parliament to consider enacting a new law to deal with incidents of mob lynching. It said that "horrendous acts of mobocracy" could not be permitted to become a new norm.
"No confidence motion is a very important aspect of Parliament. We had requested the speaker & govt to change the date. We protested but couldn't convince them. So, all MPs have been asked to come to Delhi. Whip also will be issued," TMC's Dinesh Trivedi said as per ANI.
Ahead of trust vote on Friday, TMC issues whip to all its MPs to present in Parliament on the day.
The TMC has urged Sumitra Mahajan to postpone the discussion on no-confidence motion on Monday. It said that most of the party leaders will be away in West Bengal" At least 35 leaders will be missing from the discussion," a party leader said as per Indian express. Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge also requested the speaker to postpone the discussion to Wednesday. Observing that as Friday is the last day of the week, some MPs won't be available for the voting because of other commitments, Kharge requested Sumitra Mahajan to shift the date. Reacting to the development Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said, "No-confidence motion is an important discussion. All members should give this prominence rather than other party activities."
The Upper House of Parliament is discussing The State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017 for consideration and passing. Congress MP and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said, "We all hope State Bank will not be privatised."
As per a report of TOI, Bharatiya Janata Party has issued a three-line whip to all its MPs to attend the Parliament and defeat the no-confidence motion against the government on Friday.
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today asked, "Who says we don't have the numbers?". The statement comes after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar had said that the government is ready to face the no-confidence motion and win it as it enjoyed a two-thirds majority in the House. The discussion on 'No Confidence motion' will take place on Friday in Lok Sabha.
The functioning of Rajya Sabha has resumed after an adjournment. The Upper house was adjourned following uproar by various members.
The discussion on 'No Confidence motion' will take place on Friday in Lok Sabha. Earlier in the day, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has accepted the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi led central government. The motion was moved by various opposition parties including Congress, TDP etc. Meanwhile, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar today said that the government is ready to face the no-confidence motion and win it as it enjoyed a two-third majority in the House.
Union Communication Minister Manoj Sinha today informed the lower house that Telecom regulator TRAI has no proposal under consideration to amend the Interconnection Usage Charges. "Presently, there is no such proposal under consideration in TRAI to amend interconnection usage charges," the minister said during Question Hour, reports PTI.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today informed the lower house that members would have Wi-Fi access inside the House through intra-net and can browse various government websites, among others.
Lok Sabha today condoled the death of many people in a bus accident in Uttarakhand on July 1 that killed more than 40 people and injured many. The lower house also condoled the terror attacks in Afghanistan where 13 members from Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities were killed on July 1. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also mentioned terror attacks during Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations on June 16 and 17 in Nangarhar province in Afghanistan. "The House unequivocally and in strongest terms condemns these dastardly terrorist attacks and condoles the loss of innocent lives in these terror attacks," said Sumitra Mahajan reports PTI.
Union Communication Minister Manoj Sinha today informed the lower house that government has opened 215 post office passport service centres across the country for the benefit of the common man in the last four years. During question hour, the minister said, "We have decided that no one should travel more than 50 km for passport. The passport service centres were opened in post offices. The minister further added, "Till date no revenue has been earned by the Department of Posts from India Post Payments Bank," reports PTI.
Amid uproar by several opposition parties, Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2:10 pm.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu today informed the Upper House that for the first time in 66 years, Rajya Sabha has signed a pact with a parliamentary institution of a foreign nation when it entered into an MoU with the Senate of Rawanda earlier this month. The MoU provides for inter-parliamentary dialogue and parliamentary exchange visits among others, he said. Till now, only Lok Sabha used to enter into such kind of agreements with foreign parliamentary institutions.
On the opening day of the session today, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has announced that the Upper House now has facility for simultaneous interpretation in all 22 Indian languages after addition of five more languages- Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Santhali and Sindhi. However, MPs will have to give a prior notice for the interpreter in the secretariat.
Amid uproar by several opposition parties, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has adjourned the house till 2 pm.
Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Dr M Thambidurai has condemned the attack on Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's constituency office in Kerala. He asked Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar to ensure security to Parliamentarians.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar today said that the government is ready to face the no-confidence motion and win it as it enjoyed a two-third majority in the House. Earlier, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has accepted no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government. Speaker said that she would announce the date for a debate on it in "2-3 days". Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has named all opposition members who had moved similar no-confidence motions and said TDP's Kesineni Srinivas would move his motion as his name had come up in the lottery.
Congress MP S Tharoor today said, "It (attack on his office) wasn't only an attack on constitutionally provided office but a larger attempt by ruling party to destroy the idea of India and accepting pluralism. Swami Agnivesh was also attacked. We shouldn't stand by as mob lynching&hooliganism rule democracy," reports ANI.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has accepted the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi led central government. The motion was moved by various opposition parties including Congress, TDP etc .
The functioning of Rajya Sabha has resumed after an adjournment. The Upper house was adjourned following uproar by various TDP members over special status demand for Andhra Pradesh.
In Lok Sabha, Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia today said, "The govt which led farmers to commit suicide, under whose regime women are being raped everyday...we move no-confidence motion against you," reports ANI.
Samajwadi Party and Telugu Desam Party MPs protest in the well of the House in Lok Sabha over different issues related to mob lynching cases and demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh.
Amid uproar by various TDP members over special status demand for Andhra Pradesh, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has adjourned the house till 12 noon.
The monsoon session of Parliament is underway in Lok Sabha amidst sloganeering by members of opposition over recent cases of mob lynching.
Classical Dancer Sonal Mansingh, Author Rakesh Sinha and Sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra take oath as nominated members of Rajya Sabha. They were nominated by President Ram Nath Kovind.
We hope that the Monsoon session of Parliament functions smoothly, whatever issues any party has, it can raise on the floor of the house. Government is ready for discussion on all issues. Many important decisions in nation's interest will be taken up in Monsoon Session of Parliament. We hope for good suggestions and discussions from all experienced members, says PM Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Parliament to take part in Monsoon session. He is likely to address media soon
Meeting of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs underway at YS Choudhary's residence in the national capital.
Communist Party of India (CPI) MP D Raja has given an adjournment motion notice in Rajya Sabha. The notice has been given to discuss issues related to of mob lynching and attack on Swami Agnivesh.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has given the notice for an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha. The notice has been given by RJD MP JP Yadav to discuss issues related to Mob Lynching, reports ANI.
All India Trinamool Congress has given Zero Hour notice in Rajya Sabha. The notice has been given to discuss issues related to Mob Lynching, reports ANI.