Guwahati, March 2: The Congress Legislature Party, Assam PCC and 11 Left parties, under the banner of the Left Democratic Manch, today condemned the Centre's decision to auction small and marginal oil fields of Assam.

The Centre has reportedly auctioned off eight oil fields of the state, namely Lakhijan, Barchila, Dipling, Kherem, Duarmara, Patharia, Charaideo and Chilara, to private companies.

"After the auction, it is evident that the Centre is committed to help the private companies rather than see to the welfare of Assam. The Congress had demanded that the oil fields be auctioned to the ONGC or OIL India Ltd or be done through joint venture with the Assam government so that this region benefits. But through the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), the Centre is auctioning those oil fields to the private players and has barred ONGC and OIL from auctioning," CLP leader Debabrata Saikia today said.

"The NDA-led government at the Centre is alleging that the former UPA-led government in Delhi had a similar policy of auctioning small and minor oil fields to private players. But the earlier New Exploration Licensing Policy only allowed the used or near-exhausted oil fields to be auctioned to private parties unlike HELP, which allows virgin oil fields to be auctioned off," Saikia said.

He said the state had been deprived of the city gas distribution network under the smart city project in which gas pipelines will be set up for every house in the city.

The Assam PCC also condemned the auction. "Assam's 12 small and minor oil fields, which were selected by the Centre, are worth more than Rs 17,000 crore. This way the Centre is reaping all the wealth from this region," PCC secretary Imdad Hussain said.

The 11 parties under the Left Democratic Manch ter-med the move "anti-Assam".