PM Modi to inaugurate India’s first greenfield refinery in Pachpadra; launch projects worth Rs 1.06 lakh crore in Raj

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Rajasthan on Saturday to dedicate, inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth around Rs 1.06 lakh crore, spanning petrochemicals, urban transport, railways, roads, renewable energy, power transmission, aviation and others.

The Prime Minister will begin his visit in Jodhpur, where he will inaugurate the new terminal building at Jodhpur Airport and launch the Modified UDAN Scheme before travelling to Balotra to dedicate the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) at Pachpadra, India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex.

At around 10.45 A.M., the Prime Minister will launch the Modified UDAN Scheme in Jodhpur. Backed by an allocation of Rs 28,840 crore over the next 10 years, the revamped scheme aims to strengthen regional air connectivity by developing 100 aerodromes from existing unserved airstrips, constructing 200 helipads and providing continued viability gap funding to airlines.

The scheme also envisages greater use of indigenous aircraft and helicopters, including HAL Dhruv and Dornier platforms, in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the new terminal building at Jodhpur Airport, developed at a cost of Rs 480 crore. Spread over more than 23,000 square metres, the terminal has an annual handling capacity of 20 lakh passengers and incorporates Rajasthan’s traditional architectural elements along with modern passenger facilities and sustainable design features targeted at a 5-Star GRIHA rating.

At around 12.15 P.M., PM Modi will reach Balotra, where he will dedicate to the nation the 9 MMTPA HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) at Pachpadra.

Developed as a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Government of Rajasthan, the refinery-cum-petrochemical complex has been established at an investment of more than Rs 79,450 crore. The complex integrates refining and petrochemical production and has a petrochemical capacity of 2.4 MMTPA.

It features a Nelson Complexity Index (NCI) of 17, among the highest in India, with petrochemical yields exceeding 26 per cent, matching global benchmarks. The project is expected to strengthen India’s energy security, reduce dependence on imported petrochemicals, promote downstream industries through the proposed Petrochemical and Plastic Park, and generate substantial employment in the region.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for Phase II of the Jaipur Metro Rail Project, estimated to cost more than Rs 13,000 crore. The 41-km north-south corridor from Prahladpura to Todi Mod will comprise 36 stations and connect key residential, industrial and institutional areas, including Sitapura Industrial Area, Vishwakarma Industrial Area, Jaipur Airport, Tonk Road and SMS Hospital.

Among the railway projects, PM Modi will dedicate the Churu-Sadulpur (58 km) and Churu-Ratangarh (46 km) rail doubling projects, constructed at a cost of around Rs 900 crore, aimed at enhancing passenger and freight movement across north-west Rajasthan.

He will also inaugurate the four-laning of NH-125A Jodhpur Ring Road Section-II (Karwar-Dangiyawas), built at a cost of about Rs 740 crore, improving regional connectivity around Jodhpur.

In the renewable energy sector, the Prime Minister will dedicate SJVN’s 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Energy Project, developed at an investment of around Rs 5,500 crore, besides inaugurating NHPC’s 300 MW Karnisar Bikaner Solar Power Plant.

He will also inaugurate a transmission line built at a cost of over Rs 1,900 crore for evacuating power from the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Zone and lay the foundation stone for a 530-km transmission system to facilitate renewable energy integration.

During the programme, the Prime Minister will hand over appointment letters to around 54,000 newly-recruited youth across various departments of the Rajasthan government.

Later in the day, he will travel to Sanand in Gujarat to inaugurate the CG Semi Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility, marking a major milestone in India’s semiconductor manufacturing programme.

This is one of the first four projects approved under the India Semiconductor Mission.

Developed with an investment of over Rs 7,500 crore, the facility is among India’s first end-to-end semiconductor assembly and testing units. Once fully operational, it will have an annual production capacity of up to 5 billion semiconductor chips, catering to the automotive, industrial, telecommunications, 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) sectors.

The facility will provide comprehensive semiconductor assembly and testing services, including wafer sorting, packaging, testing, package design, failure analysis, test programme development and logistics support, reinforcing India’s emergence as a global semiconductor manufacturing destination.

–IANS

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