Drastic changes in Ogra structure, powers planned

ISLAMABAD: Amid controversies over the build-up of Rs11 billion gas theft and system losses in consumer-end tariff and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, the government has decided in principle to drastically change the structure and powers of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and remove petroleum secretary Dr Waqar Masood Khan.

A senior official told media on Monday that a bill seeking amendment to the Ogra Ordinance 2002 had been sent to the federal cabinet for approval. The bill expected to be taken up by the cabinet on Wednesday seeks to make the independent regulator a subservient institution of the government. Authentic sources confirmed that the government had also accepted a proposal of Prime Minister’s Adviser on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain to replace DrMasood with Additional Secretary Abid Saeed who was recently promoted to grade-22. The sources said the adviser and Dr Masood were finding it difficult to go along on some major policy issues. The two had divergent views on curtailing the powers of Ogra and making changes in the LNG import process. A copy of the proposed amendment “Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority Ordinance (Amendment) Act” available with media sources suggests that composition of Ogra will be expanded from three to five members, excluding its chairman, to involve more professionals in the decision-making process. It seeks to have a chairman and five members — oil, gas, finance, liquefied gases and law. At present, Ogra comprises a chairman and three members — oil, gas and finance. The qualification for the post of Ogra chairman is also being changed by replacing experience in petroleum technology with 10-year experience in the energy sector. The most important of all, the amendment seeks to replace “policy guidelines” with “directives of the federal government” in determination of gas tariff. This stems from resistance shown by Ogra to accept policy guidelines on gas tariff to include gas losses in areas affected by law and order and theft by non-consumers in addition to normal unaccounted for gas (UFG) losses following an order of the Supreme Court barring Ografrom accepting policy guidelines of the government or petroleum ministry inconsistent with the Ogra Ordinance to protect consumers’ interest. An official explained that the word “directive” had a binding meaning for Ogra to implement it like a subordinate institution instead of “policy guideline” which was advisory in nature for an independent regulator to apply its own judicial and fair view of a principle. “This changes the status of a regulator from being a quasi judicial forum to a subservient department of the petroleum ministry and hence contradictory to the spirit of regulatory framework,” the official said. Another amendment seeks to empower the prime minister to appoint a member of Ogra for an interim period on an ad hoc basis without following the mandatory selection process through open merit under a pre-defined criterion. The new clause says that when a member is unable to perform his duty for reasons of leave or otherwise, the prime minister on the recommendation of an unspecified committee shall appoint a member for such period of absence. This stems from the fact that two members of Ogra have become ineffective following a Supreme Court judgment requiring the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to hold investigation into misappropriation of Ogra funds, recruitments and fixing of gas pricesfavouring stockbrokers. One of them has been described by the cabinet division as absconder without leave and has been found living in Switzerland to avoid the NAB investigation. The other has been stopped from performing duty because of the investigation. The amendment bill also seeks to define the qualification of two additional members — law and liquefied gases — to deal with matters relating to mixing of LNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in natural gas and onward sale to consumers. The member liquefied gases is required to have an appropriate degree in the relevant field and should be eminent, professional of known integrity and competent with 20 years of experience in the petroleum sector. The member law is required to have an appropriate degree in the relevant field and should be eminent, professional of known integrity and competent with a minimum experience of 20 years in law, including at least five years in the energy sector. http://www.rtilive.pk/detail/9837 Drastic changes in Ogra structure, powers planned, liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), petroleum secretary Dr Waqar Masood Khan, Ogra Ordinance 2002, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, LNG import process,rti live news pakistan,rti live current news about pakistan rtilive,current news from pakistan rti live,current news of pakistan,rtilive current news on pakistan,current news pakistan rti live,rtilive google news pakistan,rti live hot news of pakistan,rtilive karachi pakistan news,rti live latest news about pakistan,rtilive latest news from pakistan,rti live latest news in pakistan,rtilive latest news of pakistan,rtilive latest news on pakistan,rti live latest news pakistan,rtilive latest news pakistan urdu,rtilive latest pakistan news,rti live news pakistan,rtilive news about pakistan,rti live news from pakistan,rti live news in pakistan,rtilive news of pakistan,rtilive news on pakistan,rti live news pakistan,rtilive news pakistan latest,rti live pakistan current news,rti live pakistan flood news,rtilive pakistan floods news,rti live pakistan karachi news,rti live pakistan latest news,rti live pakistan latest news online,rtilive pakistan live news,pakistan new news,pakistan news,pakistan news channel,pakistan news lahore,pakistan news latest,pakistan news live,pakistan news online,pakistan news paper,pakistan news papers,pakistan news service,pakistan news today,pakistan news tv,pakistan news urdu,pakistan news english,pakistan news video,pakistan political news,pakistan top news,pakistan urdu news,pakistan english news,pakistan world news,todaynews of pakistan,rti news of pakistan,rtilive news of pakistan,top news of pakistan,urdu news pakistan,english news pakistan,urdu pakistan news,english pakistan news,world news pakistan,www pakistan urdu news,www pakistan english news,www rtilive pk news,yahoo pakistan news,action news,breaking news,business news, current news,daily news,e news,entertainment news,google news,headline news,india news,pakistan news,international news,it news,latest news,live news,lacal news,national news,new news,news,news channel,news channels,news entertainment,news for kids,news for today,news live,news of the day,news of the world,news of today,news of world,news paper,news papers,rtilive news rti live,today,news video,news weather,online news,recent news,science news,news the,today news,top news,weather news,world news,news yahoo,yahoo news,Law & justice in Pakistan, Court cases, constitutional cases, chief justice of Pakistan, Justice and court news, criminal cases, Supreme court cases in Pakistan, Judgments of Supreme Court,Information Pakistan, information about Pakistan, Research about Pakistan, Online Research Center, Research organization Pakistan, Polls and Surveys, Polls and surveys about Pakistan, Right to Information Pakistan, RTI Pakistan, Research findings, findings, Entertainment, Reward Program, Customized productions, Top Story Pakistan, Politics Pakistan, Economy Pakistan, Society Pakisatn, Lifestyle Pakisatn, News Pakisatn, City News Pakisatn, Video Pakisatn, RTI Video, Global Fascilities,