In our January 2015 issue, we had carried out a story titled, “Gas Pooling Scam in pipeline: To benefit top five private wealthy companies,” that was followed by Gas Pooling: For whose benefit” as a cover story in our February 2015 issue. In these stories, we had stated in detail how the power ministry’s move of Pooling of Gas is aimed at providing substantial benefit to the private companies at the cost of the government owned gas based power plants and electricity consumers.
This is becoming more evident now. In the latest move, GMR, one of the likely beneficiaries of the proposed gas pooling scheme, funded a study by National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) on the issue (see box at pg 25 to 26). If one goes through this NCAER report, he can find out how its conclusion was formed in advance of proper consideration of evidence, arguments, etc. It is a one-sided study concluding that the proposed gas price pooling policy of the government would lead to increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“The gas price pooling policy would lead to an increase in GDP of 0.50 pc with a plant load factor (PLF) of 30 pc, 0.70 pc with a PLF of 40 pc, and 0.88 pc with a PLF of 50 pc,” said the study. Also, it will help increase employment in 2015-16 by creating about 13 lakh new jobs with 30 pc PLF; 18 lakh with 40 pc PLF and 23 lakh with 61 pc PLF, the study said.
