ONGC may revive Rajasthan refinery plans

BARMER: Changed political equations, helped by the new government in Rajasthan, appears to have revived hopes of the proposed 15-million tonne refinery plant in Rajasthan, where Cairn India is set to begin crude oil production by 2009 end.

More than a year after aborting plans of a refinery project in Rajasthan, government-owned ONGC will now re-examine the viability of such a project. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot made a public pitch for an oil refinery in the state.

���We are ready to give all incentives, including fiscal concessions for the project, the onus now lies on ONGC and the petroleum ministry to do so,��� he said at the inauguration ceremony of Cairn���s pipeline from Barmer to Salaya.
The proposed refinery would not just generate jobs in this backward region but according to estimates will also benefit over one lakh people in the surrounding areas.