Minister wants bio-ethanol plant expedited

Bathinda, February 7

After the matter was highlighted in The Tribune a few days back, Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today requested Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to intervene and ask the Punjab Government to expedite the process of additional land acquisition for the proposed bio-ethanol plant which is to be set up by the HPCL in the district.

In a letter to the minister, Harsimrat Badal said the Rs600-crore project was languishing for three years due to the lackadaisical attitude of the Congress government in acquiring and providing land.

She said: “It will not only help the farmers of the area who will get a ready market for their stubble but also aid thousands of youth in getting employment in the unit.” Bathinda DC B Srinivasan said, “HPCL officials told me that land has been provided to them. The delay is due to some external issues of the HPCL.” — TNS