The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has awarded 28 blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy Bid Round Nine with an area of over 1 lakh 36 thousand square kilometres. Highlighting its significance, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that this will help India reach its untapped energy potential and reduce import dependency. Mr Puri said this will have far-reaching implications on the energy sector.

Talking about the recently passed Outfield (Regulatory and Development) Amendment Bill, the Petroleum Minister said the set of rules has been released in the public domain for better implementation. He urged stakeholders of the energy sector to come forward and provide their input. He also expressed optimism over joint ventures and technical assistance from foreign investors.