PM blocks oil secretary Tripathiآ’s NELP-V travel
Prime minister Manmohan Singh has blocked oil minister Mani Shankar Aiyars plan to have oil secretary Sushil Tripathi accompany the NELP-V roadshow.
The PM has directed that the secretary and the minister should not be out of the country at the same time, Tripathi tells us. This rule was set by Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru but has never been taken seriously until now.
During the previous four NELP roadshows the oil secretary accompanied the oil minister. Till 17th January, Aiyar was hoping to take Tripathi along.
The first NELP-V roadshow was held in London on 20th and 21st January followed by Dubai on 24th and 25th January. The roadshow in Houston is scheduled on 31st January and 1st February.
Calgary will hold it on 3rd and 4th February. Additional foreign secretary Talmeez Ahmed managed at the last minute to get government permission to attend the NELP-V roadshow in Dubai.