VIJAYAWADA: Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan responded positively to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s request for supply of iron ore from National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) to the proposed steel plant in YSR Kadapa district and said that the State would get Rs 2 lakh crore investments in the next five years in petroleum and steel sectors. World leaders in petroleum sector are keen to invest in Andhra Pradesh, which Pradhan said, would help boost the revenue and generate more job opportunities.
During a meeting with the Chief Minister at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Friday, reviewing a gamut of oil and gas and steel projects in the State, the Union Minister said an autonomous petroleum institute would be set up in Andhra Pradesh to create skilled workforce.
Jagan explained his government’s efforts to rope in globally acclaimed companies to set up a steel plant in Kadapa. Responding positively, Pradhan directed his officials to have an MoU signed between the State government and NMDC shortly.
The Union Minister also agreed to clear Rs 81 crore dues payable as compensation to 16,554 fishermen families displaced by ONGC offshore drilling at Bhairavapalem village in I Polavaram Mandal of East Godavari district.
The Chief Minister also sought an equal share in the royalty collected by the Union government from oil and gas companies as the establishments pose various environmental risks and also cause depletion of the fish population. Jagan requested the Union Minister to set up a greenfield crude oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Kakinada to fulfil the provision in Section 93 (4) of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Jagan made a strong case for setting up of a petroleum university in Kakinada to meet the skilled manpower requirement of the upcoming ONGC major project KG-DWN 98/2. On the occasion, the chairmen of ONGC and HPCL thanked the State government for sorting out the land issue related to pipelines. The CM said that the State would cooperate and extend all possible help to the Centre and is firm on rapid industrialisation.
The meeting was attended by Union Secretary for Steel Binoy Roy, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, Amarnath, NMDC CMD Sasi Shankar, HPCL CMD Mukesh Kumar Surana, RINL CMD PK Rath among others.
Earlier, when Pradhan met Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at Raj Bhavan, the latter asked him to ensure speedy completion of his ministry’s projects in the State. Both discussed various issues over lunch. The Governor impressed upon the Union Minister that AP required more attention in terms of funding for ongoing projects and new ones as the new State was yet to recover from the effects of bifurcation.
Pradhan promised to extend help from his ministry and invited the Governor to visit ONGC KG Basin facilities. Harichandan informed Pradhan of his recent visit to the Indian Institute of Petroleum & Energy at Visakhapatnam and brought to his notice need for further development of the institute.
Petroleum varsity in EG
CM Jagan made a strong case for setting up of a petroleum university in Kakinada to meet skilled manpower requirement of the upcoming ONGC major project KG-DWN 98/2