Image used for representation
| Photo Credit: AP

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri.
| Photo Credit: ANI

New Delhi:

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party’s allegations of operating “Operation Lotus” in Delhi for voter manipulation and challenged the notion that Rohingyas, whom AAP has accused the party of settling in Delhi for votes, would ever support the BJP.

In a sharp rebuttal to AAP’s accusations of voter manipulation, Hardeep Puri questioned the credibility of the claims.

“Do you think that the Rohingyas, in any condition, will vote for the BJP? There is no chance that they will vote for us,” Hardeep Puri asserted, turning the tables on the accusations.

When asked about, AAP’s charges that ‘Operation Lotus’ is being operated in Delhi from December 15 wherein BJP has cut out 5000 voters and added 7000 voters.

Replying to the allegations, Hardeep Puri said, “This is the same Arvind Kejriwal and the same Aam Aadmi Party that were claiming that the BJP has brought Rohingyas to Delhi. We (BJP) have clarified everything in connection with this. Do you think that the Rohingyas in any condition will vote for the BJP? There is no chance that they will vote for us.”

“This has all been done by the AAP. These ‘illegal infiltrators’ have been brought and settled by them for votes. If you cut these votes, I say it will be very good for our democratic process. Arvind Kejriwal says one thing and the very next moment changes his stance on that,” said Mr Puri.

The BJP leader’s response underscores the idea that the party believes allegations of settling Rohingyas in Delhi for electoral gain are baseless. They contend that any suggestion that the Rohingyas–whom AAP has painted as a vote bank for BJP–would vote for the party is far-fetched.

Mr Puri on Sunday also attacked AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the party’s welfare schemes and accused the former Delhi Chief Minister of ‘deceiving’ the people.

The Union Minister said, “Aisa koi saga nahi jise Kejriwal ne thaga nahi” (there is no one whom Kejriwal has not deceived).

Mr Puri claimed that the Mahila ‘Samman Yojana’ and ‘Sanjeevani’ schemes lack proper budgetary provisions and cabinet approval. The Mahila Samman Yojana is aimed at providing women residing in Delhi with Rs 2,100 per month.

The minister questioned the sincerity of the schemes, stating that announcing such plans without clear financial backing or a robust implementation process is a betrayal to the people.

He accused Arvind Kejriwal of losing his ‘mental equilibrium’ after Kejriwal alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of running “Operation Lotus” in his constituency.

This comes after Earlier today, former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of running “Operation Lotus” in the New Delhi constituency since December 15 to delete voters from the voter list.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said, “In my New Delhi assembly constituency – their (BJP) ‘operation Lotus’ has been going on since December 15. In these 15 days, they have applied for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes. Why there is a need to conduct elections if you are manipulating approximately 12 per cent of total voters in the assembly? A kind of ‘game’ is being going on in the name of election.”

Mr Puri expressed confidence in his party’s victory in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, which are expected to be held in early 2025, saying, “The electoral results of Delhi will be the same as those of Haryana and Maharashtra.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The story so far: Parliament’s winter session has remained chilly as a stand-off continues between the Centre and Opposition over the indictment of Indian businessman Gautam Adani by the US Department of Justice (DoJ). The Rajya Sabha had listed the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024 for passage on Monday (December 2, 2024), but the Upper House was quickly adjourned for the day without any legislative business being conducted. The Bill had been introduced in the Upper House during the Monsoon session. 

“This Bill aims to ensure policy stability for oil and gas producers and allow international arbitration,” said Union Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri while speaking at the Geo India 2024 conference on November 15. Promising private sector companies ‘zero interference’ by the government, Mr. Puri also said that the Bill would enhance India’s domestic output and cut down its reliance on oil imports. 

According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India’s oil and petroleum imports for the past three quarters have been worth ₹4,121,787.4 million, ₹4,294,979.6 million and ₹3,130,294.1 million respectively. This is worth at least thrice the country’s quarterly oil and petroleum exports.  

“For India to reduce its import dependence, the increase in domestic production must outpace the country’s rapidly growing energy demand,” explains Vivek Rahi, Partner, KPMG in India, adding, “Imports have largely remained unchanged in spite of policy measures aimed at boosting domestic production—such as the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), the Discovered Small Fields (DSF) policy, gas pricing reforms, and reduced royalty rates for deepwater, ultra-deepwater, and high-pressure/high-temperature areas.”

Here’s a look at the proposed amendments and how they will affect India’s oil industry.

Mineral oils definition and lease expanded

Currently, the petroleum industry is burdened by delays in obtaining environmental and forest clearances, complexities in land acquisition, absence of comprehensive standards, procedures, and guidelines for operational and safety compliance, explains Mr. Rahi.

“India is believed to hold yet-to-find potential of 13 billion tons of oil equivalent. This bill addresses two critical issues to help India exploit these resources – separation of petroleum and mining activities and expanding the definition of mineral oils,” he says, 

In the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948, petroleum and natural gas were the only two defined as mineral oils. This Bill expands the definition to include coal bed methane, oil shale, shale gas, shale oil, tight gas, tight oil, and gas hydrate, but does not include coal, lignite and helium occurring in the petroleum process. Subsequently, the Bill alters the previously used mining lease to introduce a ‘petroleum lease’ which allows companies to explore, prospect (search for oil and gas fields), produce, make merchantable, and dispose of mineral oils. Mining leases in use will remain valid. 

“The broader definition (of mineral oils) enables the efficient exploration, development, and production of both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources without any policy confusion,” says Mr. Rahi, adding, “This (separation of leases) eliminates redundant or irrelevant approvals, streamlining the regulatory framework.”

Expands Centre’s regulatory powers, decriminalises offences

Under the Act, the Centre was empowered to regulate the grant, terms and conditions, and time period of leases, production, storage and conservation of mineral oils and collecting royalties, fees and taxes for mineral oils. This Bill expands the Centre’s powers to include framing rules for lessees to reduce emissions, sharing of oil production and processing units, merger of leases and resolving disputes on leases. 

With India and the energy sector’s focus on green technology, this Bill also urges oil companies to use oilfields for other purposes like hydrogen production, carbon capture utilization and storage or coal gasification.

Explaining how this is reflected in the current practices of the oil and gas industries, Mr. Rahi says, “The global industry is increasingly prioritizing decarbonization with methane capture, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), and other low-carbon technologies.” Acknowledging that the current viability of such projects is subject to challenges, he adds, “government support, in the form of a policy direction to begin with and possible incentives in the future, could make these projects sustainable.” 

Further, the Bill also decriminalises offences related to the above-mentioned petroleum activities, such as those pertaining to invalid leases and non-payment of royalties; however, it increases the monetary fine for them from Rs. 1000 to Rs 25 lakhs. 

Refuting any claims of avenues for misuse of the decriminalisation clause, Mr. Rahi stresses that it has been a long-standing demand of the industry, as many operators are increasingly outsourcing specific operations to optimize costs. “By shifting from criminal penalties to administrative fines for minor infractions, companies can focus on compliance and operational improvements without the fear of severe legal consequences. This will foster a more predictable environment, encourage innovation, and streamline the regulatory process,” says Mr. Rahi.

Opening up no-go areas to oil exploration

The Centre has allowed oil exploration within previously defined no-go areas, such as those near missile testing sites. In a recent bid, 1.36 lakh square kilometers of area was being offered, of which 38% had been previously marked no-go area, said Mr. Puri. This Bill is an attempt by the Centre to “catch up and make up for somewhat tardy or slow focus on implementation in the past” as oil exploration and production was not in focus for previous governments, says Mr. Puri. 

“While these reforms are designed to enhance exploration and production, achieving a meaningful reduction in import dependency will require a sustained and significant growth in domestic production, particularly in oil, natural gas, and deployment of renewable energy,” Mr. Rahi says.

New Delhi:

Amid the Congress-BJP war over guarantees and the comments by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said the opposition party promises the Moon, but can’t deliver.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Mr Puri drew a distinction between what he called the ‘freebie’ model of the opposition and the ‘labharthi‘ (beneficiary) model of the BJP, which drives development. The minister also spoke about the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam in Karnataka and the derogatory remark made by a Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP against former BJP leader Shaina NC, who has now joined the Shiv Sena faction led by the party’s ally, Eknath Shinde. 

On the statements by Mr Kharge and PM Modi over the Congress president reportedly pulling up Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for his comments hinting at a review of one of the party’s guarantees in the state, Mr Puri said, “A governance model which is successful, which delivers economic growth and welfare to the people is a governance model. Any other model, which bases itself on freebies, or on empty promises not grounded in reality, is not a governance model.”

Attacking Mr Kharge over the use of terms like ‘betrayal’ and ‘jumla‘ for the BJP government’s guarantees, the minister said the Congress leader must have been excited when he got the post of party president, but is now discovering the downsides. 

“Don’t make promises on which you can’t deliver. If you use words like review, it means you are not able to deliver. That is the hard truth. The Congress makes outlandish claims – it promises the Moon, and is not able to deliver, and then it gets caught. If you want to think in terms of imposing a tax on the construction of toilets in Himachal Pradesh, you are in trouble,” Mr Puri sneered. 

‘Writing On The Wall’

Taking a jibe at the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, the minister said that after the loss in Haryana, the Congress is seeing the writing on the wall for the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections and is realising that its “khata-khat, phata-phat” model is failing. 

“So far as prices are concerned, after all the bluff, petrol and diesel are still Rs 10 more expensive in Congress-ruled states than they are in BJP-ruled states. There is a fundamental difference between the freebie models of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party and the ‘labharthis‘ (beneficiaries) of a scheme like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Ujjwala Yojana,” Mr Puri said. 

“In Punjab, the AAP promised 300 units of free electricity and families have two or three connections and rich people are misusing the scheme. Our model is that you come and get a solar panel from us at a reasonable cost. We will subsidise it a little, then you produce electricity. You can use 300 units for your consumption and the rest can be used for a charging station at your place or put back into the grid and earn some money. There’s a fundamental difference between giving somebody free fish to eat and teaching somebody how to fish so that he or she becomes a productive member of society,” he asserted. 

The minister said he had responded to all seven points made by the president of the Congress, which is “becoming a junior partner (in alliances) everywhere”. 

To a question on Mr Kharge claiming that ‘Modi’s guarantees’, which have been a key plank of the BJP, have become a “cruel joke” on Indians, Mr Puri said the joke is what the Congress is doing. 

“Modi’s guarantee carries weight. Modi’s guarantee carries credibility. Whatever the party has said in all its election manifestos since 2014, it has delivered on each one of them. An additional 4 crore houses are going to be built… on petrol prices, diesel prices, in all the PM’s guarantees, the welfare of the consumer is written in. In their model, they took an oil bond loan of Rs 1.41 lakh crore and we are having to pay back Rs 3.2 lakh crore. Mallikarjun Kharge, the honourable president of the Congress party, is being delusional,” he claimed. 

Corruption

In a scathing attack on the Congress over corruption, Mr Puri brought up the alleged MUDA scam, in which Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife was given prime plots of land. 

On Mr Siddaramaiah’s claim that the BJP left Karnataka plagued with “40% commission corruption” and his government had inherited poor fiscal health from the previous BJP regime in the state, the minister asked, “Did he also inherit the MUDA scheme? His wife got about 15 plots, did he also inherit that? They were in the opposition, if there was any act of omission or commission by the BJP, they could have questioned it then.”

“They (Congress) have been tainted by corruption for an extended period of time and when they have to answer questions, they start blaming each other. Now whether it is faultlines between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar or both of them versus Mr Kharge, I don’t know. The Congress has to sort out this mess,” he said. 

Derogatory Remark

On the remark made by Arvind Sawant, an MP from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, against Shaina NC, who is a candidate for the Mumbadevi Assembly constituency from the Eknath Shinde-led Sena, Mr Puri praised his former party colleague for making her voice heard. 

“This kind of vocabulary is not acceptable anywhere. You don’t refer to an opposition candidate, a woman, in those terms. Using a word like that is objectifying a candidate… I would like to reach out to my friends like Priyanka Chaturvedi (an MP from Mr Sawant’s party) or others whom I know quite well… they should stand up and condemn this comment. I think Shaina NC did very well in questioning it. Somebody told me that he has apologised, but I think this needs to be pursued to its logical conclusion. And I’m sure that my sisters and daughters and our mothers in Maharashtra will give an absolutely befitting reply to this kind of misogyny,” he said. 

New Delhi:

Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has called for stepping up oil and gas hunt to cut India’s reliance on imports and making available fuel at an affordable and sustainable way.

Speaking at the Urja Varta conference recently, he said the exploration and production (E&P) sector is integral in the journey towards energy self-sufficiency, which is critical for sustained economic growth.

“E&P offers investment opportunities worth USD 100 billion by 2030,” he said.

Stating that India’s exploration and production potential still lies untapped, he said, “I find it strange that India is so heavily reliant on oil imports despite the abundant geological resources available to us.”

The Indian sedimentary basins hold about 651.8 million tonnes of crude oil and 1138.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas, he said.

Mr Puri said only 10 per cent of our sedimentary basin area is under exploration, which will rise to 16 per cent by 2024-end after the current bid ends.

“The focus of our exploratory endeavours must pivot towards discovering ‘Yet to Find’ resources,” he said.

India imports over 85 per cent of its crude oil needs. Crude oil is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel in refineries.

“The government is doing its part to catalyse investments in E&P. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has instituted sweeping reforms, empowering stakeholders to contribute to our nation’s progress,” he said, adding “We intend to increase India’s exploration acreage to 1 million sq. km. by 2030.”

The minister said since its inception in 2015, the Discovered Small Field (DSF) Policy has garnered investments of approximately USD 2 billion and brought in 29 new players in the field.

“The opening up of the erstwhile no-go areas has paved the way for exploration activities in previously restricted zones, fostering investments, notably in regions such as the Andamans,” he said.

Mr Puri announced formation of a Joint Working Group (JWG), comprising representatives from private E&P operators, the National Oil Companies, MoPNG, and DGH to examine issues relating to the ease of doing business in E&P, adequacy of policies and procedures, and the need for their revision.

“It will submit its recommendations within eight weeks,” he added.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri told NDTV today that the country is using all available forms of energy and the outlook for the sector was never better.

“No matter which way you look at it, if you look at green energy, the transition, biofuels… look at the 15 per cent transition we have done. We did 15 per cent biofuel blending. And we are solving the problem in agriculture,”  he said.

The Infrashakti campaign aims to go beyond steel and concrete and tell the story of India’s infrastructure growth through its people.

Infrashakti Awards, a defining part of the Infrashakti campaign, celebrates outstanding infrastructure practices across India.

By highlighting exceptional individual and institutional initiatives, it aims to inspire innovation and excellence across the country.

The awards cover diverse categories, from engineering feats to sustainable urban planning.

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri addresses at the National Urban Planning Conclave on Creating Sustainable Cities, at Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Union government on Thursday said that the country’s rapid urbanisation presented an economic opportunity and implementing urban planning reforms were key to making the cities attractive investment destinations.

Addressing a conclave on urban planning here, Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri said that ₹15,000 crore had been allocated to implement various reforms in the urban sector.

He said the Union Urban Affairs Ministry had incentivised and prioritised reforms in areas such as modernisation of building bye-laws, integrated urban place designs to bring people and public spaces together, aided in integration of blue and green infrastructure through nature-based solutions and increased capacity building.

Also Read | Hill or city, urban planning cannot be an afterthought 

The way forward was creating a holistic policy ecosystem for ensuring last-mile access to services, enhanced operational efficiencies, area-based planning, infusion of digital technology, ease of doing business and outcome-based performance frameworks, he said.

Mr. Puri said that the various missions under the aegis of the Ministry had helped make a quantum jump in the quality of life in cities “by providing universal access to water and sanitation, creating sustainable transportation infrastructure and addressing affordable housing requirements”.

The National Urban Development conclave, being held here on Thursday and Friday, is being attended by more than 1,000 participants which includes Principal Secretaries of State Urban Development Departments, Chief Town Planners, Urban Development Authorities and Urban Local Bodies and leading head of leading academic institutions.

Also Read | PM Modi pitches for the development of new cities and modernisation of urban infrastructure

It is being organised under the aegis of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation and is envisaged to be a platform for experts and policymakers to shape up the future of India’s urban planning and facilitate inclusive and sustainable urban development, a Ministry statement said.