The President of India and the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the coal-to-ammonium nitrate project of Bharat Coal Gasification & Chemicals Limited, a joint venture between Coal India Limited (CIL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, at Lakhanpur in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district. The project entails an investment of over Rs 250 billion and is scheduled for commissioning by September 2029.
The project is designed to produce about 0.66 million tonnes per annum of technical-grade ammonium nitrate through coal gasification using indigenously developed pressurised fluidised bed gasification technology. Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary company of CIL, will provide about 350 acres of land and supply washed coal and washery rejects for the project. The project has received statutory and environmental approvals and other major clearances, while lump sum turnkey execution packages have already been awarded. It has also secured financial support of Rs 13.5 billion from the Ministry of Coal.