Jaipur, April 13 (NationPress) In anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming inauguration of the Pachpadra Refinery in Balotra on April 21, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma is set to inspect the site on Monday to evaluate the final arrangements for the event.

According to officials from the Chief Minister's Office, he will arrive at the Pachpadra Refinery in the afternoon to conduct a thorough review. His inspection will include assessing the progress of the project, ensuring security protocols are in place, confirming the suitability of the public meeting area, checking helipad facilities, and evaluating other essential preparations from noon until 2 p.m. He will be joined by senior officials, including Chief Secretary V. Srinivas and Director General of Police Rajiv Sharma.

This visit marks Prime Minister Modi's second trip to Rajasthan within the last two months. His earlier visit on February 28 to Ajmer saw him inaugurate development initiatives exceeding Rs 16,000 crore, along with distributing job appointment letters to over 21,000 unemployed youths.

The foundation stone of the Pachpadra Refinery was initially laid on September 22, 2013, by Sonia Gandhi during the Ashok Gehlot administration, with a preliminary cost estimate of Rs 37,230 crore. Following a governmental shift, Prime Minister Modi reinvigorated the project on January 16, 2018, adjusting the budget to Rs 43,129 crore. The initial deadline for completion was set for October 31, 2022, but the projected cost escalated to Rs 72,937 crore by June 2023 under the previous Congress-led government.

Under the leadership of Bhajanlal Sharma, a revised proposal submitted on July 24, 2025, has further raised the project's budget to Rs 79,459 crore. The refinery represents a collaboration between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Rajasthan Government.

Developed as one of the nation's cutting-edge facilities, the Pachpadra Refinery meets BS-6 fuel standards and encompasses both a refinery and a petrochemical complex. A notable feature is its 'Zero Liquid Effluent Discharge' system, which guarantees that no liquid waste is expelled during the refining process, representing a major advancement in environmental sustainability. The refinery is projected to have an annual capacity of nine million tonnes of crude oil and a petrochemical production capability of two million tonnes.

To fulfill its crude oil requirements, the refinery will import 7.5 million tonnes from Gulf countries while sourcing an additional 1.5 million tonnes domestically. With an estimated project cost around Rs 80,000 crore, the refinery is anticipated to generate significant employment opportunities and stimulate industrial growth in the region.

To enhance logistics and freight operations, plans are in motion to restore the Balotra-Pachpadra rail link. HRRL is set to construct a new 12-kilometre railway line connecting Balotra to the refinery site, with surveys having been completed in recent months.