Date:27/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/27/stories/2005042709390400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Corporation to check diversion of gas

Special Correspondent

State Government to enact legislation soon on laying of pipelines

HYDERABAD: The State Government will set up a gas transmission corporation for laying pipelines for proper utilisation of gas finds in the Krishna-Godavari basins belonging to the ONGC and Reliance and avert diversion to other States.

It will enact legislation for this. The pipelines within the State and up to its borders as a network will be implemented through the recently formed Infrastructure Department within a time-frame to serve industries and power projects. The ultimate goal is to ensure supply to the domestic sector for cooking purpose through pipes as in Gujarat.

The Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, told reporters here on Tuesday after a review of the energy-related maters by the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, that a team would be sent to Gujarat to study the gas pipeline network there. Unless these steps were taken, the ONGC and Reliance might take gas to other States.

Free power

He referred to a completed survey on "free power" and put the corrected figure relating to those enjoying the benefit at 94.58 per cent as against the present 93.1 per cent, implying that only 5.42 per cent of the farmers owning pumpsets were left out.

His other announcements were that a team from Orissa would come here soon to finalise agreement on modernisation of the Machkhund project and that the AP Genco was likely to end this year with a profit of Rs. 60 crores for the first time.