Shimla: The Central Government has approved the ethanol plant being set up by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) in district Una of Himachal Pradesh.
This plant will be set up on 30 acres of land at a cost of 500 crores. Rice, sugarcane, and corn are majorly used for ethanol production. Therefore, this scheme will also prove helpful in strengthening the economy of the farmers of the region.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu had taken up the matter with the Centre. The raw material for this plant will be procured from districts Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Una.
Apart from this, this plant will provide employment and self-employment opportunities to the local people and farmers of Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and other parts of the state.
With the establishment of this plant, about 300 people of the area will get direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Ethanol prepared from grain raw material is mixed in petrol and diesel. This will help in reducing the pollution coming out from the vehicles.
This will help in environmental protection in the state. The state will earn an annual revenue of Rs 20 to 25 crore for the state exchequer in the form of GST.
The state government has agreed to invest 50 percent equity in the project. The government will provide full cooperation to the company for setting up the plant.
Instructions have been given to the district administration that all the obstacles coming in the construction of the plant should be removed immediately.
Gram Panchayat Bhanjal of Una district has been asked to start land acquisition work for the link road within 10 days.
Ethanol is a transparent and colorless liquid. It is also known as ethyl alcohol, or grain alcohol.
This starch or sugar-based feedstock is produced from cellulosic feedstocks such as corn kernels, sugarcane, and crop waste.