Amit Shah Inaugurates IFFCO’s Sulphuric Acid Plant in Odisha

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated a state-of-the-art Sulphuric Acid Plant (SAP-III) at the IFFCO unit in Paradeep, signaling a major push toward India’s self-reliance in fertilizer production. During his visit, Shah also unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transform Odisha’s dairy sector into a cooperative powerhouse modeled after Gujarat’s Amul.

The newly inaugurated plant, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹750 crore, has the capacity to produce 2,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid per day. Sulphuric acid is a critical raw material for manufacturing phosphate-based fertilizers.

Highlighting the plant’s significance, Shah stated that the facility aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. “Self-reliance doesn’t just mean making fertilizers; it means producing every component needed for them within our borders,” Shah said. The plant is expected to:

• Reduce Imports: Lower India’s dependence on imported sulphuric acid by nearly six lakh metric tonnes annually.

• Environmental Efficiency: Improve industrial output while reducing pollution levels by approximately 50%.

• Energy Savings: Reduce coal usage dependence by around 500 million metric tonnes.

A ‘White Revolution’ for Odisha

In a move to bolster the rural economy, the Union Minister announced plans to establish a strong dairy cooperative network in every village across Odisha. Drawing parallels with the success of Amul in Gujarat, which involves 3.6 million women and generates ₹1.3 lakh crore in business, Shah emphasized the empowerment of tribal and OBC communities.

“We will explore the full potential of Odisha to enrich our mothers and sisters here. Both the Center and the State’s ‘double-engine’ government will work together to bring dairy to every village,” he added.

Comprehensive Development Package

Following the event in Paradeep, the Minister traveled to Bhubaneswar, where he launched 69 projects worth ₹1,159.03 crore and laid the foundation stones for 130 additional projects valued at ₹2,116.06 crore.

Key initiatives launched include:

• Odisha State Cooperative Policy: A new framework to modernize and strengthen cooperative institutions.

• Digital Transformation: Dedication of 1,567 Common Service Centres operated by PACS/LAMPS and the launch of “Savidya,” an AI-enabled multilingual learning platform for cooperative training.

• Sugar Industry Revival: An MoU for the revival of the Badamba Sugar Industries.

• Education: Plans for a new school under the Tribhuvan Cooperative University.

The event was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and other senior state and central officials. Shah concluded by thanking the people of Odisha for their support in the 2024 elections, promising that the state would soon join the league of India’s most developed provinces.