FinMin in favour of the Cairn-Vedanta Deal
NDTV Correspondent, March 21, 2011 (New Delhi)
The troubled $9 billion Cairn-Vedanta deal that was stuck due to government approvals may be on the fast track. In a letter to oil ministry, the finance ministry says the deal should go through and the dispute on who will pay the royalty can be dealt with later.
The finance ministry has lent its backing, saying that the deal is important for investment into India.
The oil ministry had diluted the pre conditions for the Cairn Vedanta deal last month and now the ministry may propose a Cabinet Meet in the last week of March or first week of April.
The deal ran into delays because of the dispute where Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC_ pays 100 per cent royalty despite having only 30 per cent stake in Rajasthan oil block. ONGC owns 30 per cent in Cairn India’s mainstay Rajasthan oilfields but pays royalty on not just its share of oil but also on Cairn’s 70 per cent share.
Sources said other ministries too have concurred with the view that government approval to the USD 9.6 billion deal should be given.
In all likelihood, the approval may come up before the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for consideration next week.
Cairn India had on November 23 last year, more than three months after its parent firm Cairn Energy announced the sale of its majority stake in the company to Vedanta, made conditional applications seeking government nod for the deal.
So, sources say, the even if the deal goes through, Vedanta may have to continue to fight with the government on the issue of royalty.
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