(a) whether the Expenditure Reforms Commission has made any recommendations in its Sixth Report relating to Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the said Commission has made any recommendation to abolish some posts in the Ministry; and
(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI SANTOSH GANGWAR)
(a) to (d): Yes, Sir. Expenditure Reforms Commission (ERC) have inter-alia recommended re-organisation of work within the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and consequential reduction in the staff strength after the petroleum sector is fully deregulated including abolition of the Administered Price Mechanism (APM) to take effect from 1st April, 2002. The Commission has also recommended to abolish twenty posts of the level of Section Officers and above and correspondingly reduction of subordinate level posts. However, an intensive review in the light of the workload in the post APM scenario, is necessary to firm up the Ministry`s views, on these recommendations.