After 16 years, Paradip Refinery of Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), India’s largest investment in a single project, is all set to be dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Shri.Narendra Modi on Sunday.
“The country’s largest public sector refinery at Paradip will pave the way for second industrial revolution in Odisha and Eastern India at large,” said Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gases Shri.Dharmendra Pradhan.
The 15-million tonne refinery, foundation stone of which was laid by former prime minister Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee in May 2000, has weathered many a storm on its way including nature’s fury unleashed by cyclone Phailin and Hud Hud but has made the journey successfully.
Set up at a cost of Rs.34,555 crore, the IOCL’s most ambitious project to date is billed to be the most advanced crude processing facility in the world. It is the first zero residue refinery of the country, capable of processing all types of heavy and sour crude.
The refinery spans around 3345 acres of land provided by the State Government, which as facilitator played a proactive role in resolution of issues from land acquisition to rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced families. The State Government has also facilitated the daily requirement of 25 million gallons of water from Mahanadi river through a 90 km long pipeline.
The dream project for Odisha will accelerate industrial and economic development in the State and act as a gateway to Eastern India strengthening international trade particularly with South Asian countries. The potential for growth of ancillary industries is immense and would provide the much-needed stimulus to the Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) led by the refinery in the area.
The formal commissioning of the project by PM Modi will be done in presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Pradhan and a host of luminaries.
Energy advisor to Prime Minister of Bangladesh Mr.Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Deputy Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Dr Anoma Gamage will also attend the commissioning.
However, even as commissioning of refinery calls for celebration over the milestone achievement, the State has become a witness to an ugly political turf war with BJP, BJD and Congress, et al jostling for credit for the project.
A fierce poster war between the BJP and BJD unleashed in the run-up to the inauguration has not only vitiated the atmosphere but also deteriorated into violence among workers.
Starting off with production of motor spirit (MS) and high speed diesel of BS-IV quality, it will gradually switch to BS-VI quality to comply with the auto fuel policy of the Union Government. The refinery is also designed to produce Euro-V premium quality motor spirit and other green auto fuel variants for export. Other products would include propylene (petrochemical grade), LPG, naphtha, aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and kerosene along with byproducts like petroleum coke (Petcoke) and sulphur. It has adopted the unique INDMAX technology, developed ingenuously by IOCL R&D centre, which will enable production of 44 per cent LPG.
Posters of PM Shri.Narendra Modi and CM Shri.Naveen Patnaik have been defaced or torn by rivals at different places including Paradip and Capital City of Bhubaneswar.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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