Fertiliser Min seeks funds for setting up 11 new CIPET centres

Fertiliser Ministry has sought funds from the Finance Ministry for setting up 11 new plastics engineering institute (CIPET) centres in states such as Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir, Parliament was informed today.

There are 28 CIPET centres in the country at present.

The Centre has approved setting of up of 11 new centres including an Advanced Polymer Design and Development Research Laboratory of CIPET, Minister of State for Fertilisers Mansuk L Mandaviya said in the Rajya Sabha.

"Funds/budget for setting up of these centres have been requisitioned from the Ministry of Finance," he said in his written reply to the Upper House.

The new centres of the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) will be set up in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Tripura, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, he said.

They will aim at enhancing technology support to industries, strengthen skill development initiatives, promote entrepreneurship and research and development for indigenous technologies, Mandaviya said.

That apart, he said, the government has plans to set up Central Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (CICET) on the lines of CIPET as well as chemical and petrochemical hubs around 22 refineries in the country.

"The government has initiated the process for preparation of the concept note and feasibility study for establishing a CICET... The government will start five CICET centres and CIPET will work as a mentor organisation," he said while replying to a separate query.

In case of chemical hubs, he said the government has set up "a committee to deliberate and examine the possibility of setting up of chemical and petrochemical hubs including availability of various products and by-products at various refineries in the country." Mandaviya also informed that the chemical sector is de-licensed and de-controlled. The entrepreneurs are setting up units in the private sector based on techno-economic feasibility, demand and supply scenario and cost of feedstock/raw materials.

The government has taken various steps including rationalisation of customs duty on the feedstock/building blocks for having synergy in the complete value chain for boosting the chemical sector and competitiveness of the industry in the country, he said.

That apart, various workshops and seminars were held for exchange of technology, ideas, innovations and buyer seller's meet in the field of chemicals for growth in the chemical sector, he added.