Kochi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday laid the foundation stone for the integrated refinery expansion and modernisation projects of Bharat Petroleum Corporation here.
The stone laying ceremony signals the beginning of work on a pair of projects that involve a total investment of more than Rs. 20,000 crore.
The Rs. 14,000-crore integrated expansion of the refinery makes BPCL’s Kochi facility the largest public sector refinery in the country with an annual capacity of 15.5 million tonnes.
It also signals the establishment of Kerala’s first petro-chemicals complex involving an investment of Rs. 6,000 crore.
Governor of Kerala H.R. Bharadwaj, Union Petroleum Minister Veeerappa Moily, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his senior Cabinet colleagues were among those present at the occasion.