Strengthening Assam’s growing industrial presence at the national level, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma along with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister for Ports Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal today laid the foundation stone for a major e-methanol production project at Kandla in Gujarat.
The project is a joint initiative of Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APCL) and the Deendayal Port Authority. With an investment of Rs. 2,300 crore and a production capacity of 150 tonnes per day (TPD), the project is among the major e-methanol production initiatives in the country. It is expected to create more than 3,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
To be established at Kandla Port, one of India’s major maritime commercial hubs on the western coast, the project is envisaged to promote the use of green fuel in the shipping sector, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and contribute to lowering emissions from maritime transport.
The project also marks a significant expansion of Assam’s industrial footprint beyond the State and reflects the capabilities and growing role of Assam’s public sector enterprises in emerging areas of the national green economy.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that the project would contribute significantly to India’s efforts to expand the use of green fuels. He recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in 2021.
The Chief Minister said that, in keeping with the Prime Minister’s vision, India has witnessed the emergence of a new movement towards green fuels and clean energy. He stated that Gujarat has emerged as a leading State in this transition through initiatives in solar power, green hydrogen and other forms of clean energy.
Sarma said that the Prime Minister’s vision of accelerating the adoption of green fuels is gradually being translated into action across the country and that India is making significant strides in the development and adoption of clean energy technologies.
Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited at Namrup has a methanol production capacity of up to 500 tonnes per day, providing the State with valuable expertise in the sector.
Gujarat Minister of State for Labour, Skill Development and Employment Kantilal Amrutiya, Minister of State for Higher and Technical Education Trikam Chhanga, Kachchh Lok Sabha MP Vinod Chavda, Gandhidham MLA Malti Ben Kishor Maheshwari, Naharkatia MLA and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Taranga Gogoi, Chairman, Deendayal Port Authority, Sushil Kumar Singh, Chairman, Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited, Bikul Deka, and host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
