ISLAMABAD - National Assemblys Standing Committee for Cabinet Secretariat, Friday, grilled Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) over increasing corruption while issuing of licences of CNG stations which is causing billions of rupees loss to the national kitty. The members of this Parliamentary Panel met here under the chairmanship of Dewan Ashiq Hussain Bukhari at the Parliament House. The agenda of the meeting was briefing on the performance and future of Ogra. While expressing serious apprehensions over the mounting corruption in OGRA, they alleged that the officials are issuing illegal licences of CNG stations, which is causing losses of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. However, OGRA officials while briefing the meeting about the allegations that licences were issued in violation of the government directives, CNG stations were allowed to shift without following the prescribed criteria and Ogra pressurised Sui Gas companies to stop construction activities. Denying the allegations, senior officials of the regulator said that Ogras main aim is to safeguard public interests. They told that Ogra issues temporary CNG licences for two years under CNG Rule 1992 while marketing licenses are being issued for 15 years under CNG rule 7. The officials further informed that the Prime Minister had directed Ogra in 2008 to impose ban on issuance of new CNG licences with the exception of those who had imported machinery from abroad while ban was not imposed in Balochistan and 38 temporary CNG licences have been issued in Balochistan. They also told the committee meeting that establishment of temporary CNG station is banned while extension of old CNG station is allowed. During the meeting, Tariq Mehmood Bajwa, a committee member, alleged the corruption charges on Ogras officials seriously claiming that loss of billion rupees are being caused to the national exchequer in connivance with Ogra officials. He was of the view that Ogra has become a major centre of corruption.