GUWAHATI: The Assam government has proposed to the Centre to buy back the stakes in Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) that the previous Congress dispensation sold to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
The buyback would increase the state government’s stake in the refinery, an entity set up in accordance with the Assam Accord of 1985, to 26 per cent from the current 12.35 per cent.
Addressing the media here on Tuesday, state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified that NRL would remain as a public sector entity and that the state government would go all the way to accumulate the whopping Rs 1500 crore it would have to spend to hold 26 per cent stake it had in the refinery during its inception.
“The state government will have to bear extra funds to the tune of Rs 1500crore to gain the close to 14 per cent stake sold by the then Congress government to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BCPL). The sum is rather whopping and we apprehend that it may have an adverse impact on the state’s daily expenditure,” Sarma said.
“However, the Assam finance department has decided to cough up the additional funds to bring back NRL o its original state (in terms of stake). We will keep discussions with the Centre in this regard so that we hold 26 per cent stake in the refinery as it is important to hold at least 26 per cent stake to have a say in decision making,” he said.
It may be noted that the Centre had in November last year announced that NRL would not be privatised even as it approved the strategic disinvestment of BPCL, which has the largest stake in NRL.
The move was preceded by a written request from Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal against any move that may lead to privatisation of the refinery.
