Bargarh ethanol bio-refinery will give momentum to green growth: Dharmendra Pradhan

Bargarh: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said the ethanol bio-refinery plant being set up by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in Bargarh district will give momentum to green growth and sustainable development.

After inspecting the ethanol plant site, Pradhan, the Union Education and Skill Development minister, said the plant will provide employment opportunities to the youth of the region.

The plant will produce ethanol from straw, waste and spoiled rice. It will help in increasing the income of the farmers in the surrounding areas including Bargarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Balangir. Employment and self-employment opportunities will be created in the local area, he said. This indigenously developed plant will promote green fuel. ''Bargarh bio-refinery is making steady progress and is expected to be commissioned soon,'' Pradhan said in a tweet. ''The Bargarh 2G bio-refinery will invigorate a circular economy, give impetus to waste-to-wealth creation, boost farmers’ income and welfare, create large-scale employment, augment indigenous production of green fuel and lead Odisha towards prosperity and self-reliance as envisioned by PM Narendra Modi,'' he said.

The bio-refinery will have the capacity to produce three crore litres of fuel-grade ethanol annually using rice straw as the feedstock. Ethanol produced from this plant will be blended with petrol. The cost of the project is around Rs 1,607 crore.

Pradhan said Bargarh district is an agrarian region. Paddy and rice are the main source of the region’s economy. Keeping this in mind, Modi government decided to set up the bio-refinery in the district. Ethanol made from waste and bad rice will reduce environmental pollution and provide economic benefits to farmers.

Pradhan also suggested to the district administration to develop technology-based new skill courses and modules in regional government ITI institutes to prepare skilled human resources for this project.