A CORRESPONDENT
NAMRUP: Assam's state-run Assam Petrochemicals Ltd (APL) will soon start exporting 300 TPD (tones per day) ethanol and methanol to Bangladesh.
However, the quantity will be finalized only after the G2G agreement, said a senior official of APL. The proposal took a final shape in a meeting between the officials from Bangladesh and APL in the presence of Assam industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary at Janata Bhawan on March 16. Speaking on the occasion, Patowary said, "The expansion project of 500TPD methanol and 200 TPD formaldehyde plant at a total cost of Rs 1,337 crore is almost complete and Assam can soon export these chemical products to Bangladesh."
The minister also appreciated Dr Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur, Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh for deepening the ties between India and Bangladesh.
After a detailed discussion, both sides agreed that a feasibility study would be conducted and they would constitute a joint group comprising chemical importers from Bangladesh and APL officials.
The importers will visit the APL plant at Namrup to work out the product line and pricing.
At the same time, the process of export of methanol would start via the Siliguri route to Bangladesh.
The officials agreed to have a government to government (G2G) intervention for certification of chemical products by an accredited laboratory acceptable to both countries. They also agreed to set up a lab testing facility for streamlining the chemical export process between the two countries.
Besides Dr Tanvir Monsur, Sunit KP, secretary-general, Indo-Bangla Council for Commercial and Cultural Collaboration from Bangladesh was present.
APL was represented by its chairman Bikul Chandra Deka and managing director Rajnesh Gogoi.
Dr KK Dwivedi, principal secretary, industries and commerce department was also present in the meeting.
This is the follow-up meeting after the recent visit of Bangladesh information and broadcasting minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on February 24 last, wherein Patowary had called upon the Bangladesh ministry officials to take opportunities of potential sectors of Assam like ethanol, methanol, hydrocarbon to improve trade and business.
Meanwhile, the construction works of 500 TPD capacity methanol plant of APL was almost completed at upper Assam's Namrup.
A team of high officials of OIL chairman cum managing director Sushil Kumar Mishra have visited the methanol plant of APL at Namrup on March 15.
OIL has already purchased 49 per cent share of the APL to make it a joint venture of the Assam government and OIL.
Since the declaration of the State Ethanol Policy in August 2021, Assam has attracted 16 ethanol projects worth Rs 3,290 crore as a fallout of a consortium of OMCs floated bids for long term ethanol procurement.
To facilitate Ethanol production, Industry Department established a 24×7 support centre for the entities to obtain various approvals and clearance required to set up their plants.
Six out of seven entities have been provided with land in Industrial Development Corporation Industrial Parks across various parts of the state including two units in IGC Matia, one unit each at Industrial Landbank in Sipajhar, ID Dhing, IGC Balipara and near Assam Plastic Park, Tinsukia.
The proposed annual capacity of these seven units will be 970 KLD with a planned investment of Rs 1,154 crore which will generate direct employment avenues for 1,000 people and indirect employment for nearly 4,000.
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