By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, January 11, 2018: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday urged prime minister Narendra Modi to direct India Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to develop an integrated Naphtha Cracker unit at the Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) at Paradip.

In a letter to Modi, Patnaik said such a unit will go a long way to meet the growing demand of petrochemical products. “An integrated Naphtha Cracker unit needs to be set up urgently if the objectives of setting up the PCPIR are to be realized,” said Patnaik.

A Naphtha Cracker unit facilitates higher production of ethylene, propylene, butadiene and aromatic cuts, which work as feedstock for a variety of industries. “That could serve the increasing demand of petrochemical products in the country across sectors such as textiles, polymers, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals etc”, he said.

Patnaik said in the meeting held on January 30, 2014 under the chairmanship of the then Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, the establishment of a Naphtha Cracker unit was planned and IOCL was advised to evolve a time bound plan for producing power from gas instead of naphtha.

Subsequently, Odisha Chief Secretary in May 2015 requested Cabinet Secretary to intervene in the matter and impress upon IOCL to establish a Naphtha Cracker unit.

“In view of the above, it is requested that IOCL may be asked to take up development of Naphtha Cracker and downstream units on priority,” the Chief Minister said.

It is also important that development of common infrastructure and utilities at the PCPIR is taken up concurrently and necessary financial support from the Government of India is extended for the success of the project, he said, adding that this would help in spurring industrial as well as overall socio-economic development of the region.