After losing the Vedanta Foxconn project to Gujarat, Union Minister Narayan Rane, who hails from Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, on Sunday claimed that the Rs 3 lakh crore mega refinery project will come up in Maharashtra. The Union Minister added that he was in constant touch with central leaders and the discussions with the Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) were underway.
"The refinery will be built at the designated place and no one will allow the opposition to this project. I am in touch with some central leaders and discussions are going on with the concerned company," said Rane.
Rane has been a strong advocate of the mega refinery project. His statement came when a section of villagers and also a few leaders from the Thackeray faction were opposing the project.
After strong opposition by Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena for the project development at Nagar in Ratnagiri district, former state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had de-notified land acquisition. Thackeray, during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, had told the Centre the project can come up in Barsu on 15,000 acres of land in the Ratnagiri district. Thereafter, the RRPCL was currently conducting geo-statistical studies at Barsu for experimental design and quality control.
Meanwhile, industry minister Uday Samant has stepped up efforts for the development of a mega refinery project at an alternative site at Barsu. Samant has asserted that the mega refinery project will come up in the Konkan region but refused to divulge further details. As reported by the Free Press Journal, Samant will soon hold talks with all stakeholders to remove misconceptions about the mega refinery project.
According to industry department sources, against the total annual production capacity of 60 million tonnes per annum, the RRPCL is expected to initially develop the project with the production of 20 million tonnes per annum and later it will take a call for expansion in the wake of the prevailing situation.
Instead of 15,000 acres, the project with a smaller size will be developed on about 5,500 acres of land, which is currently available. Villagers from Barsu, Dhopeshwar, Panhle, Gowal, Nate, Wada Tiware and Wada Panhere in Rajapur taluka have already expressed their support for the project development.
