Hyderabad, August 09: Krishna-Godavari Gas Sampada Parirakshana Samithi (KGGSPS) convener Guduru Narayana Reddy today demanded that the Centre allocate 50 per cent of the gas explored in the K-G Basin to Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing a media conference here today, Narayana Reddy demanded that the Centre nationalise natural resources, and change its gas allocation policy to take into account local needs.
Aske d whether Andhra Pradesh would be in a position to utilise the entire 50 per cent if it were allotted to the State from the K-G Basin, Narayana Reddy said that once allocation was made several industries would automatically come up.
Gas was required for Godavari Fertilisers, Nagarjuna Fertilisers, for the proposed 2100 MW power plant in Karimnagar and for several ceramic industries.
He wanted the “right of rejection’’ to be vested with the State Government, should it not require more than a certain quantum of gas explored in the State.
Quoting experts, Reddy said 200 MMCD of gas was available in the K-G Basin and “would cost anything from Rs 20 to 30 lakh crore’’.
In the first phase of exploration, the Reliance was permitted to explore 40 MMCD gas, of which 16 MMCD was allotted to the State.
Narayana Reddy welcomed the “initiative of Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy in participating in the 8th New Exploration Licence Policy (NELP)’’.
It was former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s “failure to participate in the 6th NELP’’ that had seen Gujarat taking K-G Basin Gas, he alleged.
–Agencies–