Badal thanks PM for Bhatinda oil refinery

Chandigarh, Jun 22 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the clearance given by the Union Cabinet to the Rs 18919 crore Guru Gobind Singh oil refinery to be set up at Bhatinda in a joint venture between Mittal Investments and HPCL.

Mr Badal told the state Assembly here today after question hour that ''I felicitate the House and Punjabis on the decision of the Union Government allowing world's leading industrialist Laxmi Mittal to have joint venture with HPCL for construction of Bathinda refinery''.

The refinery, named after the Tenth Guru Gobind Singh, would be built at a cost of Rs 18919 crore. Mr Mittal would initially invest Rs 3365 crores in this project. This project would refine nine million metric tonnes of crude oil every year. With the completion of this project, over 1.5 lakh Punjabis would get direct and indirect employment.

He reminded the House that during his previous tenure as Chief Minister, we had made tireless efforts to get this project for the state. ''We repeatedly took this case to the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and were able to get this project sanctioned for the state'', he said.

The Chief Minister further told the House that 1200 acres of land was acquired and a four-lane highway for linking the project to Bathinda was also constructed during his previous tenure. However, it was extremely unfortunate that the Congress government led by Capt Amarinder Singh started creating obstacles in the implementation of this project from the very start.

''Due to five year's long delay in the execution of this project, the economic loss suffered by the State cannot even be assessed'', he added.

Mr Badal said that ''fortunately for Punjab, the SAD-BJP government after assuming power in March took up this matter with the Union Government. ''This is the happiest day for me and for the people of Punjab when one of the richest businessman of the world has agreed to be a partner in this ambitious project'', he informed the house.

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