Prime Minister Narendra Modi The dedication to a fertilizer plant will take place on November 12 in Telangana’s Peddapalli district, one of the five plants taken up for revival by the central government in 2012. The RFCL plant is set to boost India’s capacity in urea production.
The plant was taken up for revival under the New Investment Policy (NIP) 2012 to facilitate fresh investments in the urea sector. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of the revival project in 2016. The Natural Gas based Ammonia Urea Complex is a joint venture of National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), Engineers. India Ltd. (EIL) and Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL).
Before the closure, Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) was one of the manufacturing units of the Fertilizer Corporation of India. It was declared a “sick” undertaking in 1992. In the next decade, most of the FCI units closed down as they suffered heavy losses due to high input cost, electricity rates among other reasons. Later, in view of India’s increasing dependence on urea, plans were launched to revive them and, to reduce the input cost, natural gas is being used as fuel instead of coal.
The RFCL plant is receiving gas from a 365-km gas pipeline at Kakinada, which became operational in March 2021. A press release from the Prime Minister’s Office said that the plant will produce 12.7 LMT of indigenous neem-coated urea per annum.
“The plant will ensure adequate and timely supply of urea fertilizer to farmers in Telangana as well as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. The plant will not only improve the availability of fertilizers, but will also boost the overall economic development in the region including development of infrastructure like roads, railways, ancillary industries. In addition, the sector will benefit from the development of MSME vendors to supply goods to the factory. India will give a tremendous boost to the economy by not only reducing urea imports but also providing incentives to local farmers through timely supply of fertilizers and extension services.
Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate some national projects worth over Rs 9,500 crore at Ramagundam. He is also scheduled to address a public meeting.
War of Words Before the Journey
Ahead of the PM’s visit, the ruling TRS said that the central government has insulted the people of Telangana by not following the minimum protocol in the invitation to the Ramagundam Fertilizer Factory event. Party leaders have alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao did not receive an official invitation for the inauguration even though the state holds 11 per cent stake in the venture.
‘Modi Go Back’ flexes and posters have been put up in the state, while 64 eminent citizens have written an open letter to the PM asking him to fulfill the pending promises for Telangana. The CPI has announced that it will oppose PM Modi’s Ramagundam Yatra and will oppose the policies of his government.
In response, BJP’s national general secretary Tarun Chugh said, ‘Why is KCR opposing the opening of the fertilizer factory? This factory will not only benefit the farmers but the entire country. KCR, who is losing his influence day by day in Telangana, is drowning in despair. Since he did not get an overwhelming majority in the last election, KCR is worried about his defeat in the upcoming elections.
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