Govt re-negotiating with HPCL on oil refinery: Raje

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today said her government is re-negotiating and reviewing Barmer Oil Refinery, the previous Congress government's high profile project in the state.
"Land in Barmer is ours, money and natural resources are ours but not the ownership of the project as Rajasthan is given only 26 per cent of share under the MoU singed between previous Congress government and HPCL," she said in a press conference after presenting the budget 2015-16.
"A loan of Rs 56,000 crore is provided to this project, but only 26 per cent share is given to the state. This is a peculiar package in which Rs 3,736 crore interest free loan is to be provided to HPCL for 15 years," she said.

"There is a confusion that the project would provide thousands of new jobs. This is not job-related refinery as it would be fully automated," she further said criticising the previous Congress government which claimed the project would provide thousands of jobs in Barmer area.
Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Prem Mehra said two meetings were held with the officers of Centre and HPCL, and a mining consultant was also deputed to review the project. The state's interest and common consensus between two parties were to be achieved for finalising the project, he added.
On her budget proposals, Raje said people would feel satisfied as the government had put up a roadmap for all-round development of the state and it would be pursued in next three years.

The Government was doing the ground level works, filling and maintaining the financial gap in every department, followed by implementation of schemes being projected in the budget in her tenure so far, she said.

To a question on BJP's promise to create 15 lakh new jobs, she said due to a number of elections (Lok Sabha, civic bodies, and panchayats), the process of recruitment was delayed but schemes for job creation were being rolled out. It will done in her tenure, she added.
On her mention in her budget that "Budget is not politics, but inspired by rajdharam", Raje said it only meant service to people.

On the state's share in central taxes, Raje said as per the Centre's budget the state would get less share from the central taxes, and eight schemes were not given funds.
Let the Centre's budget get cleared in Parliament and respective Centre's department send the new circular, till then let's keep our finger crossed, she said.
To overcome the accumulated debt burden to the tune of Rs 77,000 crore in state's power companies, the Chief Minister said distribution companies would try to reduce transmission and distribution losses, and they should go to bring short- term loan.
On possible inflation in the state due to an increase in services charge to 14 per cent in the recent central budget, she said better financial management, proposals of tax relief, and a formula of "ease of doing business" will give respite to people.