Lok Sabha Question No. 3305 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-08
Subject: Domestic Production of High Value Chemicals
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne, Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICALS AND PETROCHEMICALS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No - 3305

ANSWERED ON- 08/08/2025

## DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF HIGH VALUE CHEMICALS

## 3305.  SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE:

SMT. BHARTI PARDHI:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) the current value and quantum of chemical and petrochemical imports in the country;
- (b) whether  any  specific  high-import  value  chemical  and  petrochemicals  have  been identified for priority domestic production in under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the incentives or policy adjustments to encourage domestic manufacturing of the said identified chemicals and petrochemical to reduce dependency on import;
- (d) the  progress  made  towards  making  Bureau  of  Indian  Standards  (BIS)  benchmarks mandatory for chemicals to ensure quality and prevent unfair trade practices along with the steps taken by the Government to facilitate the said progress; and
- (e) the steps being taken by the Government to make the country self reliant in this sector?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a): In the year 2024-25, the country imported  total of 57.38 million metric tonnes of Chemicals and Petrochemicals valued at Rs. 6,31,939.64 Crores.
- (b)  to  (e): To  promote  domestic  manufacturing  and  reduce  dependency  on  imports,  the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has undertaken the following policy measures :

Plastic Parks: The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has implemented the Scheme for Setting up of Plastic Parks. The Scheme promotes setting up of need-based Plastic Parks with requisite state-of-the-art infrastructure and enabling common facilities. The objective is to consolidate and synergize the capacities of downstream plastic processing industry to help increase investment, production and export in the sector as well as generate employment. 10 Plastic Parks have been approved so far and the same are at different levels of implementation.

Centres of Excellence: With the objective of promoting research and development efforts in the  chemical  and  petrochemical  sector  to  develop  new  molecules  and  technologies,  the Department  of  Chemicals  and  Petrochemicals  has  formulated  a  scheme  for  setting  up  of Centres of Excellence. The objective of the scheme is to provide grants-in-aid to educational and research  institutions  to  improve  existing  technology  and  promote  development  of  new applications  of  polymers,  chemicals  and  plastics.  The  emphasis  of  the  Scheme  is  on modernization and upgradation of existing manufacturing processes as well as improving the quality of products. So far, 18 Centres of Excellence have been approved under the Scheme.

Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCPIRs): Government of India  has  notified  the  PCPIR  Policy,  2007  to  attract  investment  and  for  the  generation  of employment in the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCPIRs). PCPIRs promote the Chemical and Petrochemical sectors in an integrated and environmentally friendly manner on a large scale. PCPIRs are conceptualised in a cluster-based approach  with  common  infrastructure  and  support  services  to provide  a competitive environment conducive for setting up businesses. At present, three Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical  Investment  Regions    have  been    notified  in  the  States  of  Andhra  Pradesh (Vishakhapatnam),  Gujarat  (Dahej)  and  Odisha  (Paradeep).  These  PCPIRs  have  attracted investment of Rs. 3.4 lakh Crores  and have generated employment to 3.7 lakh persons.

Further, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has undertaken steps to make the BIS Standards mandatory through issuance of Quality Control Orders under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 so that both domestic manufacturers and overseas suppliers meet BIS parameters in public interest or for protection of human, animal or plant health, safety of the environment, or prevention of unfair trade practices, or national security. So far, QCOs for 72 chemicals and petrochemicals have been notified in the Gazette by Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.

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