KG Basin Issue: Jaipal Reddy Not To Blame, Says MLC

Condemning the allegations against union Petroleum minister S Jaipal Reddy over the allotment of gas from the Krishna-Godavari basin to Maharashtra, Congress MLC Yadav Reddy said that Jaipal Reddy had nothing to do with the gas allocation.

Talking to media persons at the Congress Legislature Party office on Saturday, Yadav Reddy said that it was the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) that had decided to allocate gas from the KG Basin to Maharashtra in 2008, and that the Petroleum minister is hardly a member of the group. He asserted that Jaipal Reddy had nothing to do with the decisions that were collectively taken by the EGoM.

Yadav Reddy said that Shankerpalli and Nednoor projects had failed to receive the supply of gas since they could not get a "Ready for Power Generation" certificate from the Centre.

"Instead, private companies were succesful in receiving gas, as they managed to get the certificate by completing their project within the stipulated time limit," he said.

"Blaming Jaipal Reddy for these delays cannot be justified," he added.

He demanded that the government complete the construction of Shankerpalli and Nednoor projects so that they can be allocated their share of gas.

The Congress MLC also condemned allegations of Jaipal Reddy hatching a conspiracy to oust the chief minister from his post. He pointed out that it was because of Jaipal Reddy that Andhra Pradesh has been sanctioned Rs. 25,000 - Rs. 30,000 crores of Central funds, and added that official records can prove this fact. (INN)