Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers & Health and Family Welfare has directed to constitute a Joint Task Force to identify raw materials, starting materials, and crucial intermediates which are imported in high values and the country has potential to produce these chemicals through value addition of byproducts of petroleum industries/refineries.

He stressed adopting the holistic approach for the chemical and petrochemical sector by creating synergies with other related stakeholders.

The Force will be responsible for identifying the crucial intermediates and raw materials having multiple value chain applications in specialty chemicals including pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.

The Joint Task force will collectively work to promote ease of doing business by identifying solutions through Research and Development and making suggestions to the government. The Department of Science and Technology will be the nodal department for carrying out the activities of the Joint Task Force. The Joint Task force will also facilitate the development of technology transfer to the industry.

Mandaviya also said that the Joint Task Force shall prioritise the crucial chemicals in a phased manner to give a boost to the sector to make India a global champion in the chemical and petrochemical sectors.

Mandaviya along with Bhagwanth Khuba, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers and New and Renewable Energy, chaired a meeting with Secretary (Chemicals and Petrochemicals), Secretary (Petroleum & Natural Gas), Secretary (Department of Science and Technology), PSUs, and industry leaders in the petrochemical sector.

The meeting was held to discuss methodologies for adding value to by-products of the petroleum industry that go as raw material into downstream specialty chemical industries.

Mandaviya  emphasised the need for India to go in for import substitution of these raw materials/intermediates, strengthen the existing ecosystem of PCPIR, encourage investments in cracker plants, and leverage the industrial strength of the sector for giving a boost to the speciality chemicals sector to realize Prime Minister's vision of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.