The plant is India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex (Img: Internet)
New Delhi: A massive fire broke out at a refinery in Rajasthan’s Pachpadra near Balotra, sending a huge black clouds of smoke in the air.
Prime Minister Narendera Modi, who was scheduled to inaugurate the plant, a joint venture between the State owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Rajasthan government on Tuesday, postponed the event and cancelled the visit to Rajasthan for security reasons.
The plant is India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex. The Rs.43,129 Crore project is considered crucial for strengthening India’s energy security by reducing dependence on imports and boosting domestic production capacity.
The plant’s foundation was first laid on September 22, 2013, by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi during the tenure of the Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan.
Originally the project cost was worked out at Rs 37,230 crore. After a change in government, PM Modi relaunched the project on January 16, 2018, revising the cost to Rs 43,129 crore.
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Beyond fuel production, the refinery is expected to generate significant quantities of downstream petrochemical products. These will serve as high-quality raw materials for upcoming industrial units in the region. Industries based on products such as polypropylene, polyethylene (HDPE/LLDPE), benzene, toluene, and butadiene are likely to be made, paving the way for a robust industrial ecosystem.
These materials will support the manufacturing of a wide range of goods, including plastic furniture, agricultural pipes, packaging films, automobile components, synthetic fibers, medical equipment, and chemicals like paints and detergents.
