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Oil PSUs to Games' rescue

By Our Special Correspondent

Mumbai Dec. 5. The cash rich oil public sector undertakings have come to the rescue of the National Games to be conducted at Hyderabad from December 13 to 22. After ordering the Oil PSUs to cough up Rs. 4 crore for the unprofessionally-managed National Football League of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has asked 12 Oil PSUs to pool in Rs. 2. 50 crore for the conduct of the National Games.

According to sources the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas agreed to sponsor the National Games following a request from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. After agreeing to sponsor the Ministry asked 12 PSUs to share Rs. 2. 50 crore. Once the orders came from the Ministry, the PSUs, willy-nilly, had to dole out the money.

While the ONGC was made the nodal agency for the National Football League, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has been made the coordinating PSU for the National Games. In fact IOC has been asked to pay the entire amount of Rs. 2. 50 crore to the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The other eleven PSUs have been asked to pay their share to the IOC.

ONGC's share toward the pool is Rs. 60 lakh. IOC's share is Rs. 39 lakh, Gas Authority of India Ltd Rs. 25 lakh, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. Rs. 25 lakh, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. Rs. 25 lakh, Oil India Ltd. Rs. 25 lakh, Indo Burma Petroleum Rs. 10 lakh, Engineers India Ltd. Rs. 10 lakh, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. Rs. 10 lakh, Kochi Refineries Ltd Rs. 10 lakh, Numaligarh Refineries Ltd. Rs. 10 lakh and Balmer Lawrie Rs. 2 lakh.

According to sources, there seems to be a definite coordination and understanding among the 12 PSUs with regard to sharing advertising space at the games and other aspects without being prejudiced to a single PSU, which oil industry sources revealed is not the case with the NFL for which they are spending Rs. 4 crore. Majority of the PSUs are unhappy with decisions taken by the ONGC which is the coordinating agency for the NFL.

Given the option, the 12 PSUs would not care to give a `naya paisa' to the AIFF. But they are helpless. The NFL kicked off in November, but it's only on Sunday (December 7) the AIFF will formally announce the sponsorship of the league by the Oil PSUs at a press conference in Kolkata. Industry sources are wondering why the ministry has become proactive.

For all their sponsorship an official of one oil PSU received passes for Tuesday's match between Mohun Bagan and Mahindra United after the match was played at Cooperage!

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