Modi seeks higher crude oil royalty
Following the footsteps of his predecessors, chief minister Narendra Modi demanded an increase in the crude oil royalty paid to the state during his meeting with deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and finance minister Yashwant Sinha in New Delhi on Thursday.

Crude oil royalty has been a contentious issue between the state and the Centre for many years now and several chief ministers have taken it up in vain.

Mr Modi also met President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Thursday. He was in New Delhi to participate in the first Non-Residents Indians Day being celebrated on Thursday.

The other issues that Mr Modi took up with the Central leaders was raise in ceiling applicable to investments by cooperative banks in bonds issued by state corporations and infrastructure projects such as Sardar Sarovar Project from 10 per cent to 30 per cent. Mr Modi argued that if the money is available with the cooperative banks why should any norm stand in the way of its proper use.

In his meeting with Mr Advani, Mr Modi asked for removal of all difficulties in the speedy implementation of the Sardar Sarovar Project. According to a state government release, Mr Advani took keen interest in the implementation of the project and directed senior officers of the Union government to remove all difficulties in the way of increasing the height of the dam as per the award of the Narmada tribunal.

The other issues taken up with Mr Advani included increased rail linkage for coal transportation from the coal fields to the power station in Gujarat and removal of the disadvantage to the salt industry in transportation because of the flat freight rate made applicable by the railways.

State chief minister Narendra Modi called on President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in the evening. This was his first meeting with the President after taking oath as chief minister. In the meeting, Dr Kalam expressed concern that a multipurpose project such as the SSP that will benefit many states is getting delayed. He stressed on the need of using modern technology for desalination of seawater. Mr Modi invited Dr Kalam to visit Gujarat, which he accepted.

Republished from The Asian Age