Selling of NRL

The Selling of NRL: Numaligarh Refinery Limited

Dated: 31-March-2021

By: Anupal Bharali

I have observed that different people are saying different things in the media regarding the selling of the NRL (Numaligarh Refinery Limited) by the Central Govt (BJP govt with Modi as the Prime Minister).

A section of the media, experts, political leaders etc. are blaming the BJP govt. of selling the PSU to private parties. There have been heated debates in Newspapers, TV channels and social media over the issue. That is why many people of Assam are finding it difficult to determine what is the actual truth about it.

I have a few engineer friends who are working in NRL, OIL (Oil India Limited) and IOC (Indian Oil Corporation), or who have retired after working there. I have come to know about the actual happenings from them.

I think most of you know that the NRL was set up as a PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) industry. About 65% shares of NRL was with another PSU company named BPCL. The rest of the shares were with OIL (another PSU) and the Assam govt. That is why NRL was completely in the public sector.

Now the central government has taken the decision that it will sell BPCL to the private sector.  The point to be noted here is that taking BPCL directly to private sector will mean that NRL will also go to the private sector. That is why the central govt is first selling the 65% shares of NRL which were with BPCL to OIL, the Assam govt. and another PSU named EIL (Engineers India Limited).

This means that after the selling of the 65% shares of NRL, NRL will still remain as a PSU.

Now if the govt. transfers BPCL to the private sector, there will be no effect of it on NRL. Like I said above, NRL will always be in the public sector.

I hope the issue is clear to everyone now.

Thank you.