The refinery will be a joint venture between HPCL and Rajasthan govt. Representational ImageBarmer (Rajasthan): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the Rs 43,129 crore big-ticket refinery project here due to be completed by 2022 and said it will change the economic landscape of the state.
Once completed, the project is expected to bring Rs 34,000 crore to the state government coffers annually.
It will have the capacity to refine 90 lakh crude oil annually. The refinery is a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Rajasthan government.
"Rajasthan is taking the lead to become the energy power of the country," Modi said while addressing the event.
He appreciated the efforts of Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia who initiated the process to turn this project into a reality.
"In 2022, when we complete 75 years of independence, we will ensure that our refinery starts functioning," Modi said.
He took a dig at Congress saying: "We don't want people to come and ask us that after installing the stone why you did not take action on implementing the project."
Hitting hard on Congress on the issue of inaugurating the Rajasthan refinery twice, Vasundhara Raje Scindia said: "We don't believe in installing stones, but we believe in working hard to build a building. we work to turn our efforts into reality,"
Accusing the Congress government of not doing anything after stone laying ceremony to draw benefits of polling, she said: "There was no planning, no seriousness and no projection of implementing this scheme. We are doing this with lot of planning."
The program was also addressed by Pradhan who claimed that the refinery will bring in lot of growth and development in the state.
