‘Gas promise remains gas’: Congress hits out at PM Modi on fuel import dependence
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged PM Modi’s 2005 energy independence claim failed as crude import dependence rose to 90 per cent by 2024-25
Pointing at India’s increasing dependence on crude oil, petrol and natural gas imports, the Congress on Friday (March 27), said, "the gas grandly promised by Mr Modi has remained that – gas."
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh claimed on X that India's dependence on crude oil imports went up to 90 per cent in 10 years.
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"Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, India's dependence on crude oil imports went up from 84% to 90%. Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, India's dependence on LPG imports went up from 46% to 62%," Ramesh said, adding that "all this when the mantra was supposed to be Atmanirbharta, or self-reliance.
‘Gas scam’ claims
The natural gas story is murkier, he claimed.
"On June 26, 2005, the then CM of Gujarat (Modi) boasted that the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation had discovered India's biggest gas reserve in the deep waters of the Krishna-Godavari river basin. Mr Modi announced that this would make India energy independent," Ramesh said.
He claimed that five CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) reports between 2011 and 2016 were to reveal later that this was a "Rs 20,000 crore scam, which was subsequently covered by the prime minister, forcing Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation's merger into Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in August 2017".
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The Congress leader's remarks come amid reports of panic buying and long queues at petrol pumps and LPG distributors. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, for the first time since the war in West Asia broke out, released stock details of crude oil, fuel and LPG as it rushed to calm nerves.
Oil stock
India has about 60 days of oil stock cover and has arranged one full month of LPG supply, the government said on Thursday, adding that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG, calling reports of shortages a "deliberate misinformation campaign" aimed at triggering panic buying.
Also read: India has 60 days of oil reserves, govt assures no fuel shortage
Parallely, state-owned oil marketing companies also said there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and supplies remain stable.
In a statement, the ministry said that all petrol pumps across the country are adequately stocked and operating normally, with no rationing of petrol or diesel.