Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan along with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday inaugurated Product Application & Development Centre (PADC), setup by Indian Oil at Paradip, through video conference. The centre, which is adjacent to Indian Oil’s Refinery and Petrochemicals complex, is setup with a capex of Rs 43 crore. It has been built on 5 acres of land with a built up area of 3334 sq metre, having 4 laboratories namely Polymer Processing Lab, Analytical Testing Lab, Chemical Analysis Lab and Characterisation Lab.
The technical centre is equipped with 50 latest sophisticated polymer testing and processing equipment to cater to the needs of customers and new investors.
PADC, Paradip, which is recognised as a research centre by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt of India, will act as a centre for new entrepreneur development in and around Odisha in the field of plastics.
Pradhan said, “Fuelled by the PM’s vision of Mission Purvodaya of ensuring eastern India-led national growth, Centre and Odisha govt are working together to ensure development of Odisha. Odisha holds immense potential in petrochemicals, steel, mines and coal, aluminium, tourism, textile, agri entrepreneurship. GoI is committed to promoting entrepreneurship in Odisha across sectors which will lead to large scale job creation.”
“This centre-of-excellence will help in creating several new employment and selfemployment opportunities for the Odia youth, women and hard working workforce and will further boost state’s revenue and economy. This is a big milestone in the development of Odisha and will contribute to the making of an Aatmanirbhar Odisha and contribute to the overall vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he added.
