Mahayuti govt should now take a decision on oil refinery project in Konkan: NCP
State NCP chief and Raigad Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare, said, “There is a possibility that the refinery with a reduced capacity than that proposed earlier can come up in Maharashtra."
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Tatkare’s statement is crucial as during the Devendra Fadnavis-led government between 2014 and 2019, the proposal was to set up Asia's largest refinery with a 60 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity in Nanar in Ratnagiri district.The ruling NCP on Friday said that the Mahayuti alliance government should now decide its position on the oil refinery project in Maharashtra’s coastal Ratnagiri district after consultation among the allies and taking the locals into confidence.
State NCP chief and Raigad Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare, who is the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on petroleum and natural gas, said, “There is a possibility that the refinery with a reduced capacity than that proposed earlier can come up in Maharashtra. The Centre has already hinted at the same.”
Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters, Tatkare said that with a new state government in Maharashtra, the development of a refinery with a reduction in operating capacity can be discussed with the Centre and also among the Mahayuti partners as the country’s outgo towards import of oil is substantial, so the development of a refinery is quite crucial. “The local residents should also be taken into confidence before moving ahead,” he said.
Tatkare said even though the refinery development does not come under his purview as the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, the state government will have to give it a fresh look and take the proposal forward.
“Majority of the elected representatives to the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly from the Konkan region belong to the Mahayuti. I have discussed the possibility of reducing the capacity with Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The state government will, however, have to make its stand clear now,” he said.
Tatkare’s statement is crucial as during the Devendra Fadnavis-led government between 2014 and 2019, the proposal was to set up Asia’s largest refinery with a 60 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity in Nanar in Ratnagiri district. The project, named Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL), was to be commissioned by 2022.
It was proposed as a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and three PSUs — IOC, HPCL and BPCL. Fadnavis had then stayed the land notification ahead of the Assembly elections in 2019 following strong opposition by undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, which was BJP’s ally.
The project could not take off during the previous regime in Maharashtra, due to delayed land acquisition. Thereafter, the state government identified the new site at Barsu in Ratnagiri district but the proposal has not moved forward yet.
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