PIB News Update: Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Shri Sadananda Gowda held a meeting today in New Delhi with CEO Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals limited (RFCL) to review the progress of construction works of the project .
Speaking on the occasion the Minister observed that the project is near completion and he is hopeful that it will be ready for commercial production by October this year. He appreciated measures taken by RFCL to overcome challenges thrown by COVID pandemic. Once completed, the project will realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’. After commissioning, Ramagundam project along with other revival projects at Gorakhpur, Barauni, Sindri and Talcher will reduce the need for urea import by 63.5 LMT per annum.
RFCL is upcoming gas based urea unit of 12.7 Lakh MT per annum capacity at Ramagundam, Telengana. It is a Joint Venture Company (JVC) promoted by National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), Engineers India Limited (EIL) and Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL). The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 7, 2016. Once completed, RFCL project will reduce India’s dependency on imported urea, save foreign exchange and create jobs.
During the meeting, Shri Nirlep Singh Rai, CEO, RFCL gave a brief about physical progress of various works of the project, and said that the project is about 99 % complete. The work at the site got stalled during the lock down period for sometime but has resumed since May 03, 2020. Availability of manpower at site is a problem area, but management has adopted proactive measures to retain workers by providing free meals and accommodation to contract workers, and payment of wages during the lock down period.
Government of India had announced New Investment Policy (NIP), 2012 to facilitate fresh investment in urea sector and to make India self-sufficient in the urea sector. Under NIP, 2012, Govt of India is reviving the 5 closed fertilizer plants . The Five Public Sector Units under revival are:-
Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL)
Talcher Fertilizers Limited (TFL)
Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (Gorakhpur, Barauni and Sindri)