Centre draws up Rs8000-cr revival plan for Sindri fertiliser

The centre has worked out a comprehensive package of Rs 7,000-8,000 crore for reviving the defunct public sector fertiliser plant in Sindri, union minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers Srikanth Jena said in Jameshedpur yesterday. The Sindri fertiliser plant near Dhanbad closed down in 2001.

Jena said the proposal was already with the union cabinet and was likely to be tabled in the coming monsoon session of parliament commencing 1 August. Jena was in Jamshedpur to campaign for his party candidate Banna Gupta, the sitting MLA, for the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha byelection.

The minister said the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and National Fertilizers Limited would work together to revive the closed plant, but he did not reveal the stakes of the two PSUs in the revival package.

Jena said everything would be clear including the stakes of the two public sector companies (SAIL and NFL) in the revival package for the Sindri plant.

Jena said the renovated plant would be of 3 MTPA capacity and there was no need to acquire fresh land for the revival project. He added that the Sindri plant had adequate land for starting the 3 MTPA production and there was no need for fresh land acquisition. 

He added that SAIL plans to set up a steel plant and a power plant at the project site. He added that SAIL had completed its survey at the project site and was keen to start the work at the project site (in Sindri).