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Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sonia Gandhi lays foundation stone for refinery-cum-petrochemical project in Rajasthan

Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation for a Rs 37,229 crore refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, a joint project of Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) and the Rajasthan government, at Pachpadra in Barmer district in Rajasthan.

“This project is the result of the positive vision for development of the Centre as well as the Rajasthan Government. This project will attract new refinery and petro chemical and engineering industries in the state and will open new development arenas not only in this region but across Rajasthan” said the Congress President.

Sonia Gandhi enlisted various development initiatives of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre like MNREGA, RTI, Mid-day meal scheme and also talked about the Food Security and Land Bills. “We still have people who suffer from malnutrition and poverty. We, therefore, got the Food Security Bill passed in the Parliament by which more than 80 crore people, both in rural and urban areas, will be benefitted” said Sonia Gandhi.  Underlining the Congress’ commitment for farmers’ she added “The last bill passed by the Parliament during the recent session – the Land Acquisition Bill - is aimed at protecting the interests of our farmers. This is a historic bill which ensures that no one can grab poor farmer’s land forcibly”.

“All our policies are aimed at empowering the weaker section of the societies - the women, tribals, adivasis and underprivileged. We always believed in inclusive growth and overall development. This will be possible only if communal harmony, brotherhood and secularism exist in the society. This is possible only if we have a society which is united and people who are helping each other. This is what we believe in and this is our tradition” added the Congress President.
Praising the Gehlot Government   in the state Sonia Gandhi said “I take this opportunity to congratulate Ashok Gehlot led Congress Government in the state for its various pro-poor social welfare measures.. Rajasthan is the first state where the poor gets free-medicines.”

The proposed refinery will be a subsidiary of HPCL with its equity of 74 percent to be held by HPCL and 26 percent to be held by the government of Rajasthan. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs. 37,230 crore. The project cost is proposed to be sourced with a debt/equity ratio of 1.5:1. Total equity component is Rs.14,892 crore and debt is Rs.22,338 crore. HPCL's equity contribution is Rs.11,020 crore at 74% equity and Govt. of Rajasthan's equity contribution is Rs.3,872 crore at 26%.

There shall be a direct and indirect economic benefit to the economy of Rajasthan, which shall, besides industrialization, result in substantial increase in income, output, employment and tax earnings of the state.

Text of Sonia Gandhi’s speech

I thank you all for waiting for me since long, under hot sun. I am very happy to be here on this precious occasion to lay the foundation stone for this 37000 cr worth refinery and petro chemical complex here which will generate about 25000 new jobs. This will be the first refinery in the country to refine the crude oil and this project will bring more prosperity in the state. This project is the result of the positive vision for development by the Centre as well as the Rajasthan Government. This project will attract new refinery and petro chemical and engineering industries in the state and will open new development arenas not only in this region but across Rajasthan.

The UPA Government at the Centre, under the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh, has taken several revolutionary development initiatives. We haven give priority for the welfare of the backward and underprivileged and several policies and schemes were made in this direction. The Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme guarantees minimum 100-days jobs to the rural poor. To eradicate corruption, we implemented Right to Information law, by which anyone can get any information about the government functioning. Further, we provide free mid-day meal to the school children and also ensured free education to all students in the age group of 6 to 14. The Central government also have enacted many laws and schemes to empower the women in our country and we made it possible for them to get cheaper loans through Self Help Groups (SHG).   

We still have people who suffer from malnutrition and poverty. We, therefore, got the Food Security Bill passed in the Parliament by which more than 80 crore people, both in rural and urban areas, will be benefitted. This law will guarantee food grains at subsidized rates for the poor in the country. There are complaints of large-scale corruption in the existing PDS system and therefore, the new Food Security Bill also has the focus to reform the PDS system. The benefit of this new scheme will reach to the real beneficiaries directly through Aadhar. I have told in the Parliament that several people questioned this Food Security Bill asking from where we will have money for it. They also asked whether this scheme will benefit the farmers.  My answer to them was that we must find resources, by any means, for this.

As far as the farmers are concerned, the UPA Government made several policies and schemes for the benefit of the farmers; we never ignored them and would never do so. Even the last bill passed by the Parliament during the recent session – the Land Acquisition Bill - is aimed at protecting the interests of our farmers. This is a historic bill which ensures that no one can grab poor farmer’s land forcibly. Even if any land is to be acquired, the consent of the land owners is mandatory now and land can be acquired only after paying the adequate price.

All our policies are aimed at empowering the weaker section of the societies - the women, tribals, adivasis and underprivileged. We always believed in inclusive growth and overall development. This will be possible only if communal harmony, brotherhood and secularism exist in the society. This is possible only if we have a society which is united and people who are helping each other. This is what we believe in and this is our tradition.

Our duty is to serve the people and that is what Congress has been doing. I take this opportunity to congratulate Ashok Gehlot led Congress Government in the state for its various pro-poor social welfare measures. The state government has been giving special attention to the matters like food, education, health, electricity and drinking water. Rajasthan is the first state where the poor gets free-medicines.  The state government has made several similar policies for the benefits of the people in the state and I am confident that the government will continue with such development measures.

Today, on this occasion of the foundation-stone-laying of this refinery project in Barmer, I can proudly say that the state will get more revenue by this project and this revenue can be used for the benefits of the poor and aam aadmi. I congratulate all the people on this occasion and I also express my gratitude to the Petroleum Minister, Chief Minister and all others related to this achievement.  I am hopeful that this region as well as your beautiful state will reach new heights of development by this and this will bring new hopes to the lives of the people. We are committed to serve you more and will continue to do so.
Thank you. Jai Hind.




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