The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JAN 7, 2023
The ambitious Talcher fertilizer plant will be dedicated to the nation by October 2024, Union Fertilizer Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday.
While reviewing the progress of the Talcher fertiliser plant in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Mandaviya said, “India’s agriculture sector requires fertilizers for the sector to flourish and the country is currently dependent on imports and domestic production of fertilizers. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister, India set out the target to become Aatmanirbhar in this field as well.”
“India’s domestic production of urea will see a major boost with five new fertilizer plants coming up in the country. Four of these plants are already functional while a unit at Talcher is a coal gasification plant which will become functional by October 2024,” he said.
Revival of Talcher unit is being undertaken by Talcher Fertilizers Ltd (TFL), a company promoted by GAIL (India) Ltd, Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd (RCF), Coal India Ltd (CIL) and Fertilizers Corporation of India Ltd (FCIL).
Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Mandaviya said, “Government is taking significant steps in making country Aatmanirbhar. Fertilizer is sector is one of them. By utilizing new technological interventions like coal gasification in our fertilizer plants and using our own sampada (resources) like coal, India is moving towards self-sufficiency in Urea sector. With this vision, Government of India has been reviewing the progress of Talcher unit which will be India’s largest and first coal gasification urea plant.”
This endeavor will be a significant step towards ensuring energy security of the country through harnessing the vast coal reserves of the country in a manner which is more environment friendly than direct fired coal projects, he added.
Dr Mandaviya emphasized on the coordinated efforts among all stakeholders for timely commissioning of the plant.
TFL has been mandated by the Government to revive the erstwhile Talcher plant of FCIL by setting up a new coal gasification based Urea Plant with the installed capacity of 12.7 Lakh Metric Ton per annum (LMTPA).
Since the project promotes coal gasification, it shall also aid in meeting the stated aim of gasifying 100 MT of coal by 2030. The project shall also provide impetus to the economy of Odisha in particular and eastern India in general thereby also propelling India towards Atma Nirbharta (self-reliance)
Coal gasification plants are strategically important as coal prices are non-volatile and domestic coal is abundantly available. Talcher plant shall also reduce dependence on imported Natural Gas for production of urea leading to reduction in natural gas import bill. Further the gasification process adopted in under construction Talcher unit is more environment friendly as compared to directly coal fired processes thereby supporting commitments made by India under Conference of Parties (CoP).
The revival of closed units of FCIL and HFCL had been the top priority agenda of the Modi Government to augment the availability of domestically produced urea. Start of all five plants of FCIL/HFCL would add 63.5 LMTPA indigenous urea production capacity in the country. Out of five, four plants i.e. Ramagundam, Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni Fertilizer Plants have already started urea production in the country and Talcher Plant is expected to start by Sept 2024.
