Greenfield petrochemical complex to be set up in AP: Kumar

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar today announced a slew of large scale central projects including setting up a Greenfield petrochemical complex in Andhra Pradesh.
The minister, who participated in the closing ceremony of the three-day CII Partnership Summit here, also said his ministry would consider setting up a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Vizag.
"Both myself and my colleague Dharmendra Pradhan (Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister) had a discussion. I am pleased to announce that he has given his consent that we are coming out with a petrochemical complex in Andhra Pradesh," Kumar said.

"That complex will be constructed by both HPCL and GAIL. Today I am making an in principle announcement that we will have the expansion of HPCL refinery and we will have brand new Greenfield petrochemical complex for Andhra Pradesh. In the next one month we will have a meeting in Delhi. We will be sort out issues and will finalise the location," the minister added.
Kumar said any expansion of refinery entails an investment of Rs 25,000-Rs 30,000 crore while establishment of a petrochemical complex entitles an additional investment of Rs 25,000-Rs 30,000 crore.
"Before coming here I have proposed setting up a Niper in Visakhapatnam. It will be a Rs 600-crore investment. We request 100 acre land for setting up the institute. Soon we are going to lay foundation stone for Niper," Kumar added.

In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Skill India', the Centre will expand the student capacity of Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET) in Vijayawada to 5,000 from the existing 200.

According to the minister, the institute will also offer graduate and post graduate courses in plastic engineering and that there are 28 CIPET centres all over the country.
Kumar also said the Union government would consider setting up a "Medical Devices Park " in the state.
"One (Medical Devices) park has already been announced in Gujarat and another... I am announcing in Andhra Pradesh," he added.

Kumar further said each park has the potential to attract investments of up to Rs 20,000 crore.