Kendrapada MP Baijayant Panda has demanded an early commencement of the Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Regions (PCPIR) at Paradip.
In a letter to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Veerappa Moily, Panda said an early commencement of the PCPIR would significantly boost the economy of the region.
Panda stated that the Indian Oil Corporation ltd (IOCl) as the anchor tenant of the project has agreed to develop a polypropylene unit, an ethylene derivate plant as well as to establish a mixed feed cracker unit in the Paradip region.
He further stated that development of the PCPIR is dependent on these plants since the outputs from these plants would serve as feedstock to the downstream units in the PCPIR.
Notably, the Paradip PCPIR spreads over 284.15 square kilometres and is based in the districts of Jagatsinghpur (Kujang and Ersama blocks) and Kendrapada (Marshaghai and Mahakalapada blocks).
The Centre had approved the PCPIR at Paradip in December 2010 while a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between the State Government and the Centre for the PCPIR was signed in November 2011.
Panda further stated that while the IOCl claimed that it is taking steps to expedite implementation of these plants, it has refrained from giving a firm commitment on the production capabilities as well as the timelines of implementation, for which the Minister should intervene in the matter.