New Delhi: Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a visionary par excellence and applauding the way his vision is bringing about 'ease of farming' in lives of millions of farmers, MD of Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) Siba Prasad Mohanty on Sunday called India’s strides in urea production gigantic, and historic. “We are staring at making a rare history in over seven decades of our existence by rapidly moving towards self-sufficiency in urea production,” Mohanty said in an exclusive interview with Bureaucrats India.   

In a significant leap towards achieving self-sufficiency in urea production, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday dedicated the 12.7 lakh MT per annum Sindri Fertiliser Plant of Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (HURL) to the nation. Emphasising the importance of this initiative in the journey of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India), the Prime Minister noted the substantial increase in urea production over the past decade.

"Every year, India requires 360 lakh metric tonnes of urea, and in 2014, we were producing just 225 lakh metric tonnes," said PM Modi. "Thanks to the efforts of our government, urea production has now risen to 310 lakh metric tonnes," he added.

The inauguration of the Jharkhand's Sindri Plant signifies not only a boost in urea production but also opens new avenues for employment for local youth. Additionally, the Prime Minister highlighted the revival of other fertilizer plants across the country, including Ramagundam, Gorakhpur, and Barauni, with Talcher Fertilizer Plant set to commence operations next year.

Expressing gratitude towards the Prime Minister, Siba Prasad Mohanty, Managing Director of HURL, said, "As Honorable PM Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates the Sindri Plant, it heralds a significant milestone in our journey towards self-sufficiency in urea production."

HURL a Joint Venture Company owned jointly by Maharatna PSUs like, Coal India Limited (CIL), NTPC Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Fertiliser Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) and HFCL, has played a critical role in India's march towards self-sufficiency in fertilisers, and had commenced urea production on November 5, 2022.

Mohanty reiterated HURL's commitment to contributing to the vision of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and emphasised the significance of 'Bharat Urea' in empowering local farming communities and reducing imports. The plant aims to provide adequate urea supply to farmers in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar, fostering overall economic development in the region and creating numerous job opportunities.

As India continues its journey towards self-reliance, initiatives like HURL's Sindri Plant highlights the nation's commitment to bolstering domestic production and securing a prosperous future for its citizens. /BI/