Union minister Gowda visits fertilizer plant in Gorakhpur, says operations to start by June-end

Team Udayavani, Mar 4, 2021, 8:24 PM IST

Gorakhpur: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers D V Sadananda Gowda inspected a fertilizer plant in Gorakhpur on Thursday and said the unit will start operating by June-end ahead of schedule.

The Union minister was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his visit to the Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) plant.

Praising the chief minister, Gowda said the state has shown more progress in the last three-four years than it did in 70 years since Independence.

“I came here in 2014 as rail minister, and I am surprised to see the development in Gorakhpur now. The chief minister is following Prime Minister Narendra Modi”s vision of a self-reliant India,” the Union minister said.

The prime minister has asked to minimise imports and make India self-reliant, he said, adding that at present 80-90 lakh metric tonnes fertiliser is imported.

However, the minister said, after five new fertiliser units with 12.57 lakh metric tonnes production capacity each become operational, these imports would be reduced.

“Ninety-eight per cent of work at the Gorakhpur fertiliser plant is complete. It will provide employment to 1,000-1,500 people inside and outside the plant which will push the economic growth in the area,” Gowda said.

The Ramagundam plant will be operational by June-July, and the Sindri and the Barauni plants by the end of December, he added.

“Farmers of Purvanchal will get timely supply of urea and our department is working on a plan to provide direct transfer of the benefit of subsidy to the accounts of the farmers,” the Union minister said.

This plant will create a huge job opportunity, he said. “PM Modi would be inaugurating virtually two separate centres, one in Varanasi and one in Ayodhya by the end of this month,” Gowda added.

The Union minister said there was a 16 per cent increase in the sale of urea and 40 per cent in NPK even during COVID times.

Speaking on the occasion, Adityanath expressed satisfaction over the progress at the HURL plant and said the Rs 8,000-crore investment for the “ultra-modern” plant will bring prosperity to the region.

He praised PM Modi for laying the foundation stone of the plant in 2016.

The chief minister also expressed his commitment to cooperate with every development scheme of the central government for the state.