Patnaik discusses IOC refinery project with Murli Deora

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called on Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora here today and discussed the Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) refinery project in Paradeep region.

According to information received from the Orissa government, the Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan and the IOC Chairman Sarthak Behuria were present during the meeting.

Mr Patnaik raised a number of pending issues in the IOC refinery project to which the IOC Chairman informed that the company was taking several steps to start the construction of the project.

Discussions were also held on the proposed downstream petrochemicals complex based on the IOC refinery. The State Government has already identified adequate land for the downstream petrochemicals complex.

Mr Deora and Mr Patnaik agreed that such a complex was extremely important for generating both direct and indirect employment in the paradeep region and both sides should take all necessary steps for its establishment with IOC as the anchor tenant.

It was also decided at the meeting that both the Secretary, Petroleum and Chairman IOC would visit Orissa after two weeks to discuss these issues in detail with the State government.

Mr Patnaik, during his short stay in Delhi, also held discussions with the Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel to expedite the expansion of Bhubaneswar airport to an international standard airport by the Airport Authority of India (AAI), development of the airstrips at Jharsuguda and introduction of direct flights between Bhubneshwar and Bangalore because of the increased demand in view of the expansion of the IT industry in Orissa.

The Civil Aviation Minister assured Mr Patnaik that all his Ministry would soon be initiating action to all those demands raised by him for the region.

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