Govt to revive 5 fertiliser plants to increase production by 65 lakh mt

To make India from being an importer to an exporter in the field of urea and fertilisers

The government is working to revive five fertiliser plants, having a production capacity of 65 lakh metric tonnes, to turn India from being an importer to an exporter in the field of urea and fertilisers, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

During the Question Hour, Minister of Chemicals, Fertilisers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said the government was working to revive the fertiliser plants at Sindri, Talcher, Barauni, Ramgundam and Gorakhpur.

The five plants imply an additional capacity of 65 lakh metric tonnes of urea, he said, adding that the country's requirement was 310 lakh metric tonnes and the current shortage was of 55 lakh metric tonnes which was being imported.

"In a couple of years instead of being an importing country, India would be an exporting country in the field of urea and fertilisers," Kumar said.

He said that the fertiliser plant at Sindri is likely to be commissioned by September 2020, while the one at Ramgundam could be commissioned by the end of this year.

Within the next three years, "we may see all the five plants commissioned and functioning," he said.

Referring to the Sindri, Barauni and Gorakhpur plants, he said that the Hindustan Urvarak Rasayan Limited (HURL) was working for their revival.

Congress member Jairam Ramesh said the work for the revival of these plants has been going on before the NDA regime came to power.

Replying to him, Kumar said while a revival package had been approved by the Cabinet in 2008, things had not moved and it was under the Modi government a special thrust has been given to revive these plants.