'Samudra Manthan designed to benefit Adani': Demand to scrap ₹84,084-crore plan

By A Representative 

Congress leader and AICC national spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil has alleged that the Narendra Modi government’s newly approved “Samudra Manthan” scheme for offshore exploration has been designed to benefit the Adani Group, and demanded that the scheme be scrapped or its proposed ₹84,084 crore outlay be diverted to state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

In a statement issued on August 31, Gohil claimed that the Union Cabinet’s approval of the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, under which the government would provide financial support of up to 50 per cent for offshore exploration activities, amounted to using taxpayer money to de-risk private-sector investment. He alleged that the framework would particularly benefit Adani Welspun Exploration Ltd (AWEL), a joint venture in which the Adani Group holds a 65 per cent stake and Welspun holds the remaining 35 per cent.

Gohil argued that offshore exploration involves substantial financial risk and said the government’s proposed support could cover half the cost of activities including deep-sea drilling, 2D and 3D seismic surveys, artificial-intelligence-led reprocessing of geological data and development of offshore infrastructure. He cited an estimated cost of more than ₹1,100 crore for a single deep-sea exploration well and questioned why public funds should be used to reduce the risks of a private company while potential profits remain with the company.

According to Gohil, AWEL has exploration rights in the B-9 cluster, the MB-OSN-2005/2 block of the Mumbai Offshore Basin, as well as areas in the Tapi-Daman and Kutch regions. He said the company has announced plans to begin major oil and gas exploration and alleged that the new scheme would enable it to accelerate these activities with government support.

Gohil also questioned the government’s decision to extend such financial assistance to private exploration companies instead of assigning a primary role to ONGC, which he described as having decades of experience in oil and gas exploration. He said the government should have considered directing the ₹84,084 crore allocation towards ONGC and using the investment to expand exploration and create employment.

“Whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces a new policy, it is to benefit Adani,” Gohil alleged, arguing that the Samudra Manthan scheme represented another instance of what he described as government policy being structured in favour of the Adani Group.

The Congress leader also referred to several other cases that he alleged demonstrated preferential treatment for the conglomerate. These included electoral-bond purchases involving Welspun, a 6,600 MW power tender awarded by Maharashtra’s electricity distribution company to the Adani Group, the Dhirauli coal block in Madhya Pradesh, and customs-duty changes affecting Adani Enterprises’ Kutch Copper operations.

In the accompanying document, Gohil alleged that Welspun and its subsidiaries had purchased electoral bonds worth ₹42 crore, which were encashed by the BJP. The document also cites allegations concerning a land-acquisition compensation dispute involving a farming family in Anjar, Gujarat.

On the Maharashtra power contract, the document states that MSEDCL awarded the Adani Group a 25-year contract in September 2024 for 6,600 MW, combining solar and thermal power. Gohil alleged that the structure of the tender favoured large conglomerates capable of bidding across both segments and placed smaller renewable-energy players at a disadvantage.

The document further alleges that the Dhirauli coal block in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, raised environmental and tribal-rights concerns. It states that an Adani Group company won the block in 2020 and that environmental clearance was subsequently transferred to an Adani Power subsidiary. Gohil cited concerns raised by Environment Ministry experts regarding forest diversion and alleged that required Gram Sabha consent had not been obtained.

Gohil also cited the government’s decision in July 2024 to reduce the basic customs duty on copper ore and concentrate from 2.5 per cent to zero. The document argues that the move had a direct commercial benefit for Adani Enterprises’ Kutch Copper project, which relies heavily on imported copper concentrate.

Calling for a review of the Samudra Manthan scheme, Gohil said the government should either withdraw it or redirect the entire ₹84,084 crore allocation to ONGC for exploration and employment generation. He said the scheme should be aimed at strengthening India’s energy security and benefiting the wider public rather than reducing the business risks of a single private company.