The Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry on Monday assured the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) that it would ensure that unfettered access was provided to accounts of private oil and gas contractors.
In a letter to Comptroller and Audit General (CAG) Vinod Rai on August 27, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora has stated: “We have already given direction to the contractors to make available all materials sought by CAG. In case, your organisation faces any difficulty from any contractor, this may be brought to our notice. We shall ensure that audit by CAG would be conducted as required.”
CAG had earlier written to the Petroleum Ministry stating that eliance Industries had at the meeting on August 17 expressed considerable reluctance in providing access to records for the previous years till 2006-07. In his letter to Mr. Rai, Mr. Deora has said: “For future production sharing contracts, we shall make an enabling provision for audit to be conducted by CAG, either through its representatives or through a qualified firm of recognised chartered accountants approved by the apex audit body.” sources said CAG had written to the Ministry that the minutes of a meeting held on August 17 with the contractors of KG and Panna Mukta and Tapti fields were circulated without its consent and sought that revised minutes be put on record.
