Murli Deora,72 Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas

The Rajya Sabha member was supplanted in January 2006 to oust Mani Shankar Aiyar for opposing Rahul Gandhis wish of setting up the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT) at Rae Bareli. Deora steered clear of controversies by pushing his bureaucrats to the frontbe it sacking the heads of an oil and gas PSU,fixing pricing and utilisation policies on Reliance gas or extending more concessions to exploration firms.

His brief

The CMP promised that the UPA will take effective and strong measures to control the price hike of essential commodities. Deora was expected to strengthen regulatory institutions to ensure that competition is free and fair and to put in place policies to enhance Indias energy security.

The deliveries

• Rising international crude prices and the political sensitivity of domestic fuel rates severely limited Deoras options as he held the price line. Subsidy targeting was never pursued and instead came Oil Bonds outside the Budget to keep fiscal deficit low.

• Through the RGIPT Act,2007,the RGIPT was approved as an Institute of National Importance and secured Rs 285 crore as budgetary grant.

• Deora re-piloted the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board Bill that got passed and enacted in March 2006. The body was to promote a free and fair market through pricing. But that freedom is yet to be given.

Reforms derailed

• For the first time some small-sized blocks taken away from state-run exploration firms were offered to small entrepreneurs. However,not much activity has been initiated.

• The progress in ethanol blending in petrol has been tardy because of states taxation policy. Deora now wants the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs to defer making the blending programme mandatory.

• A scheme to prevent use of subsidised LPG cylinders by commercial establishments is still in pilot stage.

Reforms Scuttled

• Rather than giving more autonomy to Navratnas,Deora quelled opposition by ONGC chief Subir Raha to ministerial interference in his PSU’s working by easing him out. Next was GAIL chief Proshanto Banerjee.

• Jan Kerosene Pariyojna,started by Aiyar to supply subsidised fuel to BPL families,was yielding results. Deora whittled under states’ pressure to stall the scheme.

High point

Breaking down the indefinite strike by the Oil Sectors Officer Association in January. When the OSOA refused to call off the stir,he directed PSUs to take stringent action.

VIEW FROM THE SHADOW

Lacklustre performance is how former NDA ministe Ram Naik dubs the UPA years. Aam aadmi pays Rs 34.50 per litre for diesel while aviation fuel is Rs 27.86 per litre. With airfare unchanged,who is the UPA obliging?

Did he get your vote?

A Rajya Sabha MP,he didnt contest.