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Informist, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026

KOLKATA - The West Bengal government ha allotted 85 acres of land to state-owned Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. to expand its refining capacity in the state, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said Monday. Adhikari said Indian Oil was looking to expand its refining capacity in the eastern part of India, and needs a total of 175 acres of land for brownfield expansion of the 8-million-tonne-per-annum refinery in Haldia.

"We (West Bengal government) are also in talks with Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Trust to facilitate land for Indian Oil Corp.'s expansion needs," Adhikari told media persons here during the curtain raiser of India Energy Week 2027, which starts on Jan. 28 at New Town Convention Centre near Kolkata. 

Adhikari said he has asked the port authorities to allot land to Indian Oil Corp. on a preferential and priority basis so that the company could place the proposal as soon as possible to its board. 

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said board approval for the brownfield expansion would be secured as soon as Indian Oil Corp. receives the requisite land. 

"I have also asked Indian Oil Corp. to come up with a new greenfield petrochemical project in the state, and land for the same will not be a problem. We will allot them land," Adhikari said. 

Land acquisition for industrialisation in West Bengal is a key challenge for any company. In 2008, Tata Motors' Singur project to make the Tata Nano car failed to take off due to land acquisition-related problems, and was one of the primary catalysts behind the fall of the Left Front rule and catapulted the Trinamool Congress to power. However, lack of industrial development in the state since 2011 was one of the primary reasons behind the Bharatiya Janta Party sweeping the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. 

Adhikari said the state government is working in close coordination with the Centre for industrial development of the state, and would fully implement all central government schemes in the state. 

"At proper time, Indian Oil Corp. will disclose the details of its brownfield expansion once we are done with the requisite formalities," Adhikari said. 

The Haldia Refinery is Indian Oil Corp.'s fourth refinery in the country, located in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal, at the confluence of rivers Haldi and Hooghly, 136 km away from Kolkata. The refinery was commissioned in 1975 with an initial installed capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per annum in technical collaboration with M/s. TECHNIP-ENSA of France for fuel sector and M/s. Industrial Export of Romania for lube sector. The refinery, whose capacity was subsequently increased to 8 million tones per annum over the years, is spread over an area of about 612 acres.

INDIA ENERGY WEEK 2027

Puri said although his ministry has set up a permanent structure in Goa to host the India Energy Week every year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi insisted on hosting the annual event in Kolkata in 2027 to mark the rejuvenation of industry in West Bengal. 

"Last year, there were 75,000 participants, 700 exhibitors, 120 sessions and 550 global expert speakers across 120 countries. This year, we expect to outdo last year's achievement," Puri said, adding that 17,000 square metres of exhibition area had already been booked for the upcoming event. 

Both Puri and Adhikari said large-scale events such as India Energy Week would help put West Bengal back on the Indian and global industrial map. Adhikari said that at the upcoming event, he expects several companies to announce investments in West Bengal and east India.  End

Reported by Avishek Rakshit

Edited by Avishek Dutta

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