The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) headed by Defence Minister A K Anthony on Wednesday decided not to divert any natural gas allocated to fertiliser sector from the RIL operated KG D6 block.

"The today's decision is that the requirement of fertiliser (that is urea) will be protected. The requirement for the agriculture sector will be fully protected. While doing that the possibilities are being explored, whether any additional gas can be made available for the power sector," Petroleum Minister M Verrappa Moily said after the meeting.

Other methodologies would be worked out on a short tem and medium term basis.  .

"This agriculture season is very good.  We need to protect the requirement. There are other methodologies that we are working and ensuring that gas is made available for power. The additional requirement of power would be made available. We are working on strategy, which will be presented to eGoM on Monday," Moily added.

Siddhartha.s@thehindu.co.in