Reliance commissions 101th retail outlet

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) commissioned its 101th retail outlet and says nearly 400 such outlets for marketing transportation fuels are at various stages of construction.

Anil Ambani, vice-chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries told mediapersons here today: "The company's outlets are spread across the nation barring Jammu & Kashmir and a few hilly areas. We are progressive on tracks for retail outlets in the range of 2,500."

He did not mention any time frame for the proposed expansion. He maintained that RIL's retail outlets had significant higher throughputs. The efficiency of RIL outlets was double of that of any competing public sector unit, he said. Besides, even the food courts/dhabas at the retail outlets were doing well and some dhabas were earning revenues in the range of Rs 20,000-30,000 per day, Ambani said.

On RIL setting up a refinery in Andhra Pradesh, Ambani said, "There are large number of thought process. We do want to do things in Andhra Pradesh but gas reserves are national assets. Our commitments include gas for power and for fertilisers."

RIL has also submitted a development plan for producing 40 million cubic metres of gas initially from the KG-D6 block by 2006-07 to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons.

The total capex plan for development of KG-D6 block is around Rs 35,000 crore which will be spend over a period of five years.

Ambani said, "We have locked up the phase I of the project. NTPC has awarded the contract for supply of 12 million cubic metre of gas per day and gas would also be used for Dhirubahi Ambani Energy city, 3,740 mw power project at Dadri."

On Reliance Infocomm, Ambani said the company enjoys a 20 per cent market share with eight million subscribers.