Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Refinery project still a political issue in Konkan between Shinde and Uddhav Sena

Ratnagiri/Mumbai: Whether or not to have a super-refinery project in the coastal Konkan belt of Maharashtra - is still a political issue and has now become a flash point between the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT).

The Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) is touted to be the biggest super-refinery complex in the world.

The project involves an Indian consortium consisting of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) that signed an MoU with Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Saudi Aramco) for setting up India's largest refinery and petroleum complex.

The Rs 3 lakh crore project would have been the largest single location refinery complex in the world with a capacity of 60 million tonnes and would create tremendous direct and indirect jobs.

Locals spearheaded by groups like Konkan Vinashkari Prakalp Virodhi Samiti and Konkan Refinery Virodhi Sangharsh Sanghatana.

In fact, Konkan has always opposed mega projects like the Dabhol project project in Guhagar and the Jaitapur nuclear power park of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).

The RRPCL would be located in Rajapur tehsil of Ratnagiri district.

It was to come up in Nanar, however, was a flashpoint for the erstwhile BJP-Shiv Sena government between 2014-19 and the undivided Shiv Sena ensured that the project was shelved. However, later there were plans to relocate the project.

It may be recalled, in February 2019, when then BJP President and now Home Minister Amit Shah, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is now the Deputy Chief Minister and then undivided Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray finalised the seat and power sharing formula for 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, scrapping Nanar project was one of the conditions.

When Maha Vikas Aghadi was in power, the alternate site of Barsu was selected.

However, the Shiv Sena (UBT) manifesto states - “The Barsu refinery project will be scrapped. We will promote sustainable industries and improve ease of doing business.”

Addressing an election rally in Ratnagiri, Shinde said: “Konkan region’s youth would no longer need to migrate to cities like Pune or Mumbai for employment, as the development of industries and infrastructure would create ample local opportunities. (When the MVA was in power), it was Shiv Sena (UBT) which cleared the project and wrote to the Centre...now they have taken a U-turn...if the locals don't want, we would not put pressure."