HPCL to set up ethanol plant in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh Government would set up a Rs 500 crore Ethanol plant on a 30-acre land in the State. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in a press statement said that Centre Government has given its nod to establish an ethanol plant in the Una district by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).

The State Government has agreed to invest 50 percent equity in the Project and will extend full cooperation to the company for setting up this plant.

This will provide direct and indirect employment to about 300 persons. Besides, the project will accelerate the pace of development in the State and earn an annual revenue of Rs 20 to Rs 25 crore for the exchequer in the form of State GST.

Directions have been issued to the district administration to start land acquisition for the approach road from Bhanjal within 10 days and to ensure that all obstacles in the construction of the plant would be removed

Ethanol is a clear, colorless liquid. It is also known as ethyl alcohol, and grain alcohol and has the same chemical formula regardless of whether it is produced from starch or sugar-based feedstocks, such as corn grain, or sugarcane, or from cellulosic feedstocks such as wood chips or crop residues.

 The plant produces ethanol from grains to be mixed in petrol and diesel, which will help reduce pollution of vehicular emissions. This would also help in protecting the environment in the State.

Since major raw materials for producing ethanol are rice, sugarcane, and maize the plan will go a long way in strengthening the economy of the farmers of the region as this raw material will be procured from Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Una districts.