Guwahati: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted on Sunday that the polypropylene plant with 360 KTPA capacity, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Numaligarh refinery in Assam, would add a crucial link to the country’s petrochemical sector and also create employment opportunities and boost overall socio-economic development of the region.
This polypropylene unit, to be built at a cost of Rs 7,231 crore, will serve as a strong foundation for the growth of India’s petrochemical sector, the minister said.
Petrochemicals play a very significant role in making various items, including glucose bottles, medical syringes, plastic pipes, and car dashboards. This plant, shaping the future of Northeast India, will give a new direction to India’s future, he added.
The Prime Minister on Sunday announced that projects worth approximately Rs 18,000 crore have been allocated to Assam. He noted that earlier in the day, he was in Darrang, where he laid the foundation stones for connectivity and health-related projects. He further added that in the current location, he has inaugurated and laid the foundation for energy security-related projects, which will further strengthen Assam’s path to development.
Highlighting that Assam is a land that strengthens India’s energy capabilities, the Prime Minister remarked that the petroleum products originating from Assam contribute significantly to the nation’s development.
He emphasised that these projects will boost industrial growth in Assam, accelerate the state’s development, and create new opportunities for farmers and youth and extended his congratulations to the people of the state for these initiatives.
The Prime Minister said that India has long been dependent on foreign sources for these energy needs, importing large quantities of crude oil and gas. As a result, the nation has had to pay lakhs of crores of rupees annually to other countries, which in turn boosts employment and income abroad. He emphasised that this situation needed to be changed as he affirmed that India has now embarked on the path of becoming self-reliant in meeting its energy requirements.
(IANS)
