Digboi Refinery to be expanded: Minister Rameswar Teli

 OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: The Digboi Refinery will be expanded to raise its capacity from 0.65 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) to 1MMTPA at an estimated cost of around Rs 740 crore, announced Rameswar Teli, Union Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, at a press meet at Tinsukia on Tuesday while highlighting the salient features of the Union Budget with reference to allotment to the Northeast.

Though 27 bighas of land were procured for refinery expansion project and April 15 was earlier fixed for foundation laying by the Prime Minister due to some discrepancy on land acquisition, the programme was deferred even as the project is expected to be commissioned by October 2025, said Teli, adding further that this expansion project would facilitate profitability of the refinery.

In respect of the expansion project of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), Teli stated that the refinery would set up an ethanol project at the cost of Rs 1,500 crore from bamboo. In upper Assam, 12 bamboo chipping units would be established and one at Sadiya. These units would supply chipped bamboo for the refinery, a joint venture between NRL and Finnish companies. This expansion project would increase its capacity from 3 MMMTPA to 9 MMTPA, Teli informed. Sanjoy Kishan, State Minister for Tea Tribes Welfare Department and local MLA who was also present at the press meet, briefed media persons about the ongoing projects under his constituency.

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