PM unveils Rs 10,601-cr fertiliser plant in Assam, unit to be commissioned by 2030
Namrup (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a Rs 10,601-crore brownfield ammonia-urea plant in Dibrugarh district of Assam.
The facility – Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd (AVFCCL) – will have an annual urea production capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes and the project is scheduled for commissioning in 2030.
The PM, on the last day of his two-day Assam visit, laid the foundation stone of the plant here, located within the existing premises of the Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corp Ltd (BVFCL).
In July this year, AVFCCL was incorporated at Namrup in Dibrugarh. The projectwas approved by the Union Cabinet in March this year.
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AVFCCL is a joint venture among the Assam government, Oil India, National Fertilisers Ltd (NFL), Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (HURL) and BVFCL.
Modi arrived in Assam on Saturday on a two-day visit, during which he unveiled multiple projects worth Rs 15,600 crore, months before the assembly polls next year.
"The AVFCCL Namrup ammonia-urea project is being established as a modern, energy-efficient, world-class fertiliser complex with an annual urea production capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes, at an estimated investment of Rs 10,601 crore," the company said in a statement.
It said this upcoming facility will play a pivotal role in meeting the fertiliser requirement of Assam, the northeast region, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
"Beyond fertiliser security, the project is expected to act as a major catalyst for industrial growth, employment generation and regional economic development, creating hundreds of direct jobs and thousands of indirect employment opportunities," AVFCCL said.
The company also asserted that the foundation stone laying ceremony marked the revival of Namrup's legacy as the cradle of India's gas-based fertiliser industry, and will herald a new chapter of growth, sustainability and agricultural prosperity for the entire region.
The 'Bhoomi Poojan' took place in presence of Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with other ministers, MPs, MLAs, senior officials and representatives of stakeholder organisations of the new company.
The state-run BVFCL is the only urea-making facility in the eastern India. The facility started production in January 1969, as a part of the Hindustan Fertiliser Corp Ltd (HFCL).
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BVFCL was formed in April 2002 after hiving off the Namrup Unit of HFCL. It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, with 100 per cent shareholding by the Government of India.
It is touted to be the first factory of its kind in India to use associated natural gas as basic raw material for producing nitrogenous fertiliser.
The company has played a crucial role in the development of the northeastern region and providing farmers urea fertiliser, which is produced from cheap and locally available domestic natural gas, officials said.
As per the official website of the Department of Fertilisers, the company is now producing neem-coated urea and two organic fertilisers – liquid bio fertiliser and vermi compost under the brand name of 'Mukta'.
BVFCL has two operable ammonia urea units at Namrup, with small capacities, which were established in 1976 and 1987.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
