Press Note Eng Dt: 15/03/2011 on Urja Udhyog Petrochemical

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 Press Note                                                                           15^th March, 2011

• Congress is interested in making Gujarat glorious, credit may go to anyone.
• Congress comes in the way of people who try to usurp public money.
• Corrupt GSPC has turned Deendayal block into Deen Dalal block.
• Chief Minister’s lie is nailed. GSPC has got certificate for KG basin for two TCF and not 20 TCF.
• GSPC had claimed that it would get gas in 2011, but now it says that it will not be before middle of 2013
• GSPC has sunk Rs 9,000 crore in the name of drilling well.
• GSPC paid Rs 1400 crore to Essar against the opinion of experts.    
• Scandal ridden Satyam Computer has been given 1.05 lakh Sq meter of land at a throw away price of Rs 1100 per Sq meter.
• Farmers should be provided electricity 24×7 if Government really generates surplus electricity.
• Committee had fixed rate of Rs 2600 for land to L&T, but it has been given land at a pea nut price of Rs 700.
• Government is pampering industrialists to such an extent that officials of Cairn Energy have even threatened Jamnagar MP with dire consequence.
• GSPC has drowned crores of rupees on wrong expeditions as a result of which millions of people are sinking.

 Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil today launched a blistering attack on the government while referring to the remark of the Energy Minister that Congress leader should not obstruct state’s project. Speaking on demands of Energy, Petrochemical and Industry, Gohil said that he and his party were committed to the growth of Gujarat. But we would not allow even paise to be squandered from public money, he asserted.

 Referring to increase in the price of coal, he said, that Congress on its own has made a representation to the centre to withdraw it. This is just because it would lead to increase in electricity tariff in Gujarat. I am sure that Congress leaders with its MP Ahmed Patel would help solve the impending problem. He said that this has not been taken care by Gujarat government. With the equal spirit and dedication, I would not allow anyone to squander public money. I will protect public interest even at the cost of danger to my life, he asserted in the House.

 Tearing into pieces the claims of surplus energy and consequent sale to other states of Gujarat government, he said that in such a situation the government should provide round the clock electricity to farmers and there should not be any staggering in industry. In such a rosy situation government should think of subsidizing electricity to industry.

 Referring to government claims in question hour that it provided subsidy to farmers on connections on horse power basis, he said that this was a scheme introduced by Congress government and not the BJP government. On the contrary, he said, this government has introduced tatkaal scheme to extort money from poor farmers while the backlog of applications for new connections is rising. This government has even withdrawn the decision of the Congress government to help farmers of dark zone get connection. It is irony of situation that this government allows industrialists to draw water in dark zone area.

 He pointed out that Scandal ridden Satyam Computer has been given 1.05 lakh Sq meter of land at a throw away price of Rs 1100 per Sq meter in Gandhinagar. Raheja has been given 3.76 lakh Sq Mt of land at a price of Rs 470 a Sq Mt. Government is pampering industrialists to such an extent that officials of Cairn Energy have even threatened Jamnagar MP with dire consequence. There can’t be anything more brazenly shameless, Gohil said.

 Gohil gave a glaring example of land being given to favourite industrialists. He said that a plot of Vartej GIDC was to be sold and base price of Rs 6.50 crore was fixed for 1.04 lakh Sq Mt of land. There were many willing to pay more. But the land was given to an industrialist at a price of Rs 400 a Sq Mt which caused a loss of minimum Rs 2.50 crore.

 Corrupt GSPC has turned Deendayal block into Deen Dalal block. Chief Minister’s lie is nailed. GSPC has got certificate for KG basin for two TCF and not 20 TCF. GSPC had claimed that it would get gas in 2011, but now it says that it will not be before middle of 2013 GSPC has sunk Rs 9,000 crore in the name of drilling well. The GSPC has retained an expert who gets 10 percent of the profit for his consultancy service. GSPC paid Rs 1400 crore to Essar against the opinion of expert. This is just because the Chief Minister wanted to oblige ESSAR.

Gohil said that GSPC is not able to raise debt because it already has burden of debt of Rs 5,000. And so it now has planned to come out with IPO. He said that he had objected to IPO to save money of people of Gujarat as they invest the most. Gujarat government should have satisfied the queries of SEBI or moved High Court to bring out IPO instead of accusing me of coming in the way of progress of Gujarat.

 Gohil gave a glaring example of corrupt practices of government to bow down to industrialists in the name of investment through MOU’s at vibrant summits. He said that L&T wanted land at a price fixed by government. The government appointed committee fixed price of Rs 2600 per SqMt. But the Ministry reduced it to Rs 900 per sq mt. Even at this price L&T did not pay money and ultimately, the government offered price of Rs 725 and L&T bought the land.

 He said that he had all documents with him relating to 25 hectare plus land L&T had demanded.  He said that land of about Rs 60 crore was offered at Rs 23 crore and ultimately it was given at Rs 18.5 crore. Such was the interest of the government that it not only sent a persuasive reminder to L&T to buy the land but also waived off its own decision to charge interest on delay in payment. Referring to the opposition’s demand for JPC in Parliament to check corruption, Gohil said that Gujarat government should announce Joint Legislative Committee to probe corruption. In case the functioning of GSPC comes clear, he said, he would extend full support to its IPO.

 Referring to L&T case he said that there should be transparent process of giving land. There are thousands of landless who are not given land while industrialists are offered land on a platter. This cannot be allowed, he asserted.

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