Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurated 3 key projects of the petroleum sector worth more than Rs 900 crore in Bihar through video conference and dedicated it to the Nation. The projects include the Durgapur-Banka section(about 200 km) of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur Pipeline Augmentation Project and 2 LPG(Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Bottling Plants.

• Of the 2 LPG Bottling plants one plant of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited(IOCL) is launched in Banka and another plant of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited(HPCL) in Champaran(East), Harsidhi.

• The projects have been commissioned by IOCL and HPCL, Public Sector Undertakings(PSUs) under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Key Info

These projects are a part of the Mission Purvodaya which anticipate to expand the Barauni Refinery with Rs 14,000 crore and the work has already commenced.

Note The special package given for Bihar had 10 big projects related to petroleum and gas worth Rs 21 thousand crore. Among them, the inaugurated project is the 7th one.

LPG penetration in Bihar

• LPG penetration in Bihar has increased to 76.9% now from 23.5% in 2014.

• This in turn has reduced the kerosene consumption in the state from 8 lakh kilo litre (kl) to 2 lakh kl in 2014.