New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) Reliance Industries said it will invest Rs 65,000 crore in setting up 500 compressed bogas plants in Andhra Pradesh, with the ground breaking for first of these taking place on Wednesday.
Andhra Pradesh IT & Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh laid the foundation stone of the first Reliance Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant at Kanigiri in Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, the company said in a statement.
“The project is being developed with a capital investment of Rs 139 crore and is the first in a series of 500 projects involving a total capital outlay of Rs 65,000 crore for AP,” it said.
The plant will be developed with innovative technology and utilise Napier grass that would be developed on barren and waste lands to produce biogas.
The project will result in significant livelihood opportunities to the rural economy through payment of lease revenues to farmers, and a fixed price for the grass grown by them.
“Reliance has embarked on a bold journey to establish integrated CBG hubs across Andhra Pradesh. Around 500,000 acres of barren and waste lands in Prakasam, Anantapur, Chittoor, and Kadapa will be utilised for this purpose,” it said.
Once all the plants are fully operational, they will produce 40 lakh tonne of green, clean CBG and 1.1 million metric tonnes of organic fertiliser annually.
This initiative is expected to create 250,000 jobs for the rural youth.
Reliance Executive Director P M S Prasad, who was present during the ground-breaking event, said, “We see this project as more than energy production. It will uplift communities and boost local economies. And it will drive Andhra Pradesh’s clean energy ambitions forward.” Additionally, the byproduct from these plants will yield one crore tonne of fermented organic manure to support farmers with a reduction of chemical fertilisers consumption. This will transform 15 lakh acres of barren land into fertile farmland, boosting farmer incomes, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Nara Lokesh said, “I am delighted that we have been able to provide requisite support in record time and enable Reliance to break ground on this transformational CBG project at Prakasam district. This is the first of many and we aim that Reliance would develop 500 such projects across Andhra Pradesh with a total investment of Rs 65,000 crore.” “Reliance Industries has been one of AP’s largest and most trusted investors over the past few decades and we are excited to extend this partnership into the CBG space,” Lokesh added. PTI ANZ TRB
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