The Congress parliamentarian from Nagaon Pradyut Bordoloi on November 17th, 2019, dashed off a letter to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman opposing the centre’s proposed move to privatize the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.
“Privatization of the BPCL, if done by the Centre, will have an adverse impact on the Numaligarh Refinery in Assam,” Bordoloi said.
He further said, “The BPCL holds 61.65 per cent equity in the Numaligarh Refinery Limited. Hence, when you arrange to transfer the ownership of the BPCL, this will lead to the privatization by stealth of NRL as well.”
Besides, the MP, while urging the Sitharaman to reconsider the purported sale of the NRL, said, “It would be a blow at the face of the people of Assam if the centre privatizes the NRL.”
The letter reads as: “NRL is not just any other Refinery. It had seen fructification of an Institution after a prolonged agitation in Assam and was an outcome of the Assam Accord signed in 1985 between the Government of India and the people of Assam. It is one of the finest refineries we have with major expansion plans in the pipelines as well. I would also like to bring to your kind notice that NRL serves strategic purposes with it being a major supplier of hydrocarbon products to India’s neighbouring countries as well. It is an expression of the aspirations of the people of Assam and it has greatly contributed to the regional economy over the decades.”
Photo credit: Time8
