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It was from here, that the great Indian Sage Adi Shankar embarked on his epic journeys across India to protect the Indian civilization and unify the country.
Today is a historic day when the largest industrial unit of Kerala is entering its next phase of development. It is indeed a proud moment not just for God’s Own Country but also for the entire Nation.
Bharat Petroleum’s Kochi Refinery has played a critical role in popularizing the clean fuel, LPG among masses in Kerala and neighbouring States for more than 50 years.
I recall, my childhood and youth, when I had seen many mothers struggling with the fire-wood stove in the kitchen. Ever since, I had always thought of improving their situation and providing healthy kitchens to the mothers and sisters of India.
The Ujjwala scheme of the Government of India is a way to realize this dream. I am happy that since May 2016, nearly six crore LPG connections have been provided to the poorest of the poor in our country under Ujjawala yojana .
Friends,
More than twenty three crore LPG consumers have joined the Pahal Scheme.
Pahal has helped in identifying ghost accounts, multiple accounts and inactive accounts. Pahal has entered into the Guinness book of World records, as the largest Direct Benefit Transfer scheme in the world. Over one crore customers have given up LPG subsidy under ‘Give it up’ initiative.
By doubling the LPG production with the help of the recent expansion, Kochi Refinery is making a great contribution towards Ujjwala.
To over-come environment pollution, the Government of India is promoting the use of environment friendly transport fuel, that is CNG by expanding the coverage of City Gas Distribution network in the country.
After the successful completion of tenth CGD Bidding Round more than four hundred districts of the country will be connected for providing piped gas supply.
The National Gas Grid or Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga has also been created to have a gas based economy and enhance the share of gas in the energy basket.
The Government has thought of developing additional fifteen thousand Kilo-Miters of gas pipeline network.
To cut down on import of Crude oil, government has taken decisive steps towards reducing imports by ten percent and saving precious foreign exchange.
To this end, the 2nd Generation ethanol through lignocellulose Route has been adopted by Oil PSUs for establishing twelve 2G ethanol plants in 11 States.
Six MoUs have already been signed in this direction. The Indian refinery industry has done well in establishing itself as a major player globally.
India, which is second largest oil refiner in Asia, is emerging as a refinery hub with refining more than its demand.
The country’s refinery capacity is currently more than two fourty seven MMTPA. I take this opportunity to congratulate all for the timely completion of IREP.
Last but not the least I recognize the work of all those labourers who worked day and night during construction. I am told that at the peak of the project, over twenty thousand labourers were working at the site.