Publication of Notification of reconstitution of Empowered Committee of Secretaries with Uniform powers across all regimes to promote Ease of Doing Business in Domestic Hydrocarbon and Production

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-11082026-275362 EXTRAORDINARY PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 4253] NEW DELHI, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2026/SHRAVAN 19, 1948 MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 10th August, 2026 S.O. 4431(E). — In pursuance of the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) and in supersession of all previous notifications/orders issued from time to time constituting the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (ECS) under various contractual regimes relating to upstream petroleum operations, the Central Government hereby constitutes an Empowered Committee of Secretaries (ECS) for the purposes of Nomination fields and all contractual regimes namely, Pre-NELP, NELP, CBM, DSF and HELP (OALP), with the following composition, powers and functions: 1. Composition of Empowered Committee of Secretaries: The Empowered Committee of Secretaries (ECS) shall consist of the following members, namely:— (a) Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; (b) Secretary, Department of Expenditure; and (c) Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice (Law Secretary). Provided that Secretary (Coal) shall be a member of the Committee in all matters relating to Coal Bed Methane (CBM). Provided further that where any matter involves mines, coal fields or any other energy asset, the Secretary of the concerned Ministry or Department may be invited to participate in the proceedings of the Committee. 2. Powers and Functions of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries: The Empowered Committee of Secretaries is vested with the following powers and shall perform the following functions: a. Review and recommend operationalisation of OALP/ DSF/ CBM bid rounds. b. Finalizing fiscal and contractual terms and bidding parameters for all blocks/ fields in all category basins Policy as in Annexure-A; recommend Model Contracts and bid documents of upcoming hydrocarbon bid rounds. c. Recommend for award of contracts after successful bidding rounds. d. Resolve contractual issues, including extension of timelines, operationalization of contracts and inter-ministerial coordination. e. Issue clarifications relating to provisions of contracts and policies. f. Recommend actions to be taken by the Government for implementation and operationalization of contractual provisions, including those relating to stability of leases and contracts, examine and recommend quantum of damages/ claims payable under change in law or compensation for taking away the rights, interests or assets of the contractor as defined as in the PNG Rules 2025 g. Decide on recommendations and settlement agreements made by the Committee of External Eminent Experts (CEEE) in matters referred to it. h. Recommend such actions to be taken by the Government for removal of difficulties, in the implementation of policies applicable to upstream petroleum operations. i. To review and make recommendations in existing policies as in Annexure-B and any consequential change in the policies required to align with the amended ORD Act 1948 and PNG Rules 2025. In case of contradiction of existing policies and ORD Act/ PNG Rules, Act/ Rules shall prevail and, in such cases, the ECS shall recommend for required change in the existing policies. 3. The prevailing practice of approval of ECS recommendations by Minister, PNG and Finance Minister will continue. 4. The said notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. [F. No. EXPL-11019(18)/17/2025-expl-I-PNG (E-53311)] VINOD SESHAN, Jt. Secy. ANNEXURE-A 1. Policy related to Categorization of Basins-Fiscal and contractual terms, Marketing and pricing reforms for Natural Gas dated 28.2.2019 ANNEXURE-B 1. Exploration and Exploitation of Unconventional Hydrocarbons Policy dated 20.08.2018. 2. Policy for the Grant of Extension to the Production Sharing Contracts for small, medium sized and discovered fields dated 28.03.2016. 3. Policy for the Grant of Extension to the Production Sharing Contracts for Pre-NELP Exploration Blocks dated 07.04.2017.