Talcher Fertiliser plant's revival at a snail's pace

Lagging In Revival Process

- TFL plant is coal gasification-based plant

- Fertilizers Dept monitoring it

- Govt in Aug 2011 decided to revive TFL at Talcher in Odisha

- Gail, RCFL, CIL set up a JV acquiring 31.85% equity each and FCIL picking up rest of shares

New Delhi: The Rs13,200-crore Talcher Fertiliser Ltd (TFL) project is progressing at a snail's pace, with just 35.42 per cent work done till the end of November. In November, 1.53 per cent work was done, official sources told Bizz Buzz.

Way back in August 2011, the central government had decided to revive Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited's (FCIL) unit at Talcher in Odisha. The plan was to incorporate a joint venture of nominated public-sector undertakings (PSUs). Accordingly, a JV was set up with Gas Authority of India Ltd (Gail), Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd (RCFL), and Coal India Ltd (CIL) acquiring 31.85 per cent equity each and FCIL picking up the rest of shares.

The TFL plant is based on coal gasification technology. It is being closely monitored by the Department of Fertilizers through monthly review meetings held under the chairmanship of the Fertilizers Secretary, sources said.

When the four PSUs signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2013, the project was scheduled to be commissioned by 2017. In May this year, however, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba, informed the Rajya Sabha that it was estimated to be completed by September 2024.

For the revival of other fertilizer plants at Sindri in Jharkhand, Barauni in Bihar, and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited (HURL) was incorporated in June 2016 as a JV between Coal India Limited, NTPC Limited, and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC) as the lead promoters, each of these PSUs holding 29.67 per cent equity. The other two equity holders were also PSUs: FCIL and Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited, each owning 10.99 per cent.

While the Gorakhpur project was commissioned in December 2021, the one at Baraunic began urea production in October this year and the Sindri plant did the same in November. But TFL remains a laggard.