Petrochemical Industry
(i) Petrochemical industry is a new
introduction in Indian Industry
Sector w.e.f. 1970 and in this
sector, a fast development appea-
red in the decades of 1980 and
1990, as far as, synthetic fibre,
polymer, synthetic detergents,
plastics etc. are considered. The
utility of petrochemical products
is increasing fast in all the sectors
of daily use of life e.g., clothes,
home-manufacturing, manufac-
turing, furniture, automobiles,
home-affairs/items, toys, agricul-
ture, horticulture, irrigation,
packing, medical tools etc.
(ii) There are 5 neptha and 3 gas
based cracker complexes in the
country, having per year joint
capacity of 25 million tonne of
ethylene.
(iii) There has been an increasing
trend in production of major
petrochemicals to the extent of
increase by 461% in 2005-06 over
2001-02.
(iv) The statewise production of
petrochemicals remained as
below (figure), in which Gujarat
showed the maximum ( 5 8 % )
share, while it was lowest Tamil
Nadu (3%). These are shown in
fig. 2.
2005-06
Gujarat 58%
Maharashtra 18%
West Bengal 12%
U. P. 4%
Tamil Nadu 3%
Others 5%
Fig. 2. Statewise share in production of
major petrochemicals
Research and Development (R
& D)
(i) Inspite of late introduction of
Indian Pharma Companies in
Research and Development (R
& D), there has been a tremen-
dous growth in low-cost, neces-
PD/August/2007/271 Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.
sary facilities, qualitative produc-
tion of medicinal products etc.
(ii) Pharmaceutical Research and
Development Programme
(PRDP)Infact, PRDP is only a
regional programme for pharma-
industry, which came into exis-
tence w.e.f. 1997-98. The NPPA
(National Pharma Price-fixation
corporation) was also established
in 1997. The DPCO (Drug Price
Control Order) came in force
w.e.f. 1995. The website of NPPA
(on 11 Jan., 1999) was started as
www.nppaindi.nic.in and is
available for price information of
medicines.
(iii) Neem ProjectThis Neem
Project has been started for the
development of environment
safe/eco-friendly pesticides with
the joint efforts of UNDP (United
Nations Development Program-
me)/UNIDO (United Nations
Industrial Development Organi-
zation). This Indigenous Pro-
gramme Development and Pro-
duction of Neem based products
in the form of Environment
friendly Insecticides. The objec-
tive of this project isto provide
eco-friendly - favourable / bio-
degradable pesticides to the far-
mers as well as to promote Neem
based products, processing and
promotional use, particularly in
wasteland for development, and
also to generate rural employ-
ment, particularly for women.
Obviously, in the year 1999, WR
Grace Company of America
(USA) got the patent; but later on
in 2003, on complaint filed by
India in European court, the
court gave a verdict in favour of
India, a great success to our
Indian Scientist. At present, in
India, this project is in working
at two places i.e., oneNeem
Peeth (West Bengal) through
Vivekanand Bio-technology
Institute and secondat Nagpur
(Maharashtra) through Neem
Organization. In the first in-
stance, encouring results have
been obtained with the use of
Neem based pesticides parti-
cularly in vegetables like tomato,
and other vegetables. The first-
step was over on 31st March,
2005 and in second stepthese
Neem based products will be
applied in Tea/Coffee and
Spices. This will solve the pro-
blems created due to chemical
pesticides, causing harm to
human health.
Other Activities
Public Sector Enterprises
HOCL (Hindustan Organic
Chemical Ltd. Est. in 1960), HIL
(Hindustan Insecticides Ltd.-
1954 Est.), IDPL (Indian Drugs
and Pharmaceuticals Ltd.-1961,
regularised), HAL (Hindustan
Antibiotics Ltd.-Pimpari, Pune,
Est. 1954), etc. are doing their
good job in manufacturing
Pharma -Products etc.
Joint Sector Enterprises
RDPL (Rajasthan Drugs and
Pharmaceuticals w.e.f. 1978),
ODCL (Orissa Drugs and
Chemicals Ltd. w.e.f., 1979) etc.
are also engaged in their fields.
Autonomous Institutes
(i) CIPET (Central Institute of
Plastic Engineering and Techno-
logy) with its corporate office at
Chennai (Tamil Nadu)is an
auto-nomous institute, having 12
centres in all in India v i z . ,
Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Hydera-
bad, Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal
(for plastic u s e in agriculture),
Imphal (plastic use in water
management), Amritsar, Mysore,
Hazipur (Patna), Chungsara
(Guwahati) and Haldia (West
Bengal). This CIPET provides
Training/Diploma/PG Diploma
courses in plastic technology etc.
(ii) NIPER (National Pharmaceuti-
cal Education and Research
Institute) Maholi (Punjab) w.e.f.,
1998 Est. with 99 crore Rs. on 130
acre land near Chandigarh is
also imparting PG / MS
(Pharma)/M (Pharma)/M. Tech.
(Pharma), M.B.A. (Pharma) and
Ph. D. programmes.
(iii) IPFT (Institute of Pesticides
Formulation Technology)at
Gurgaon Est. in 1991 (Haryana)
with the co-operation of UNDP/
UNIDO and completed its 14
years successfully.
The Website of Chemical and
Petrochemicals Deptt.
www.chemicals.gov.in
P.Darpan