Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over ₹1.05 lakh crore in Pachpadra, Rajasthan, today. This marks a significant milestone for the state in terms of infrastructure, energy, transport, and employment generation. During his one-day visit, the Prime Minister inaugurated the new terminal building at Jodhpur Airport. Subsequently, he dedicated the country’s most modern greenfield refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Pachpadra, Balotra district, to the nation. He also inspected the refinery’s state-of-the-art control room and interacted with engineers and technical experts.
Mr. Modi flagged off a fuel tanker and virtually laid the foundation stone for Phase II of the Jaipur Metro. A greenfield refinery is an industrial processing plant for oil, gas, or minerals that is built entirely from scratch on previously undeveloped land.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister stated that the conflict in West Asia has triggered the biggest energy crisis of the 21st century. He noted that India’s timely decisions, effective strategy, and prudent management of national resources enabled the country to overcome this crisis. The Prime Minister highlighted that while many nations struggled with fuel shortages, India accurately assessed the situation, devised an effective strategy, and leveraged its diplomatic strength to safeguard the country’s energy security.
Mr. Modi remarked that India’s strong diplomatic ties with friendly nations played a crucial role during the crisis. He mentioned that while India previously imported energy from 25 to 26 countries, it expanded this network to nearly forty countries during the crisis, ensuring uninterrupted fuel supplies despite global disruptions. Mr. Modi affirmed that the interests of the country and its citizens would remain the government’s top priority. He also noted that India has expanded its refining capacity. It has now become the world’s fourth-largest refining nation.
The Prime Minister stated that despite the global crisis, the government prevented a massive hike in cooking gas prices. He noted that due to the crisis, the price of an LPG cylinder could have soared to around ₹2,000, but effective intervention ensured that consumers continued to receive cylinders for approximately ₹950. He mentioned that between April and June, oil marketing companies incurred losses of about ₹75,000 crore on petrol and diesel—a burden the government shouldered to shield citizens from the impact of rising international fuel prices.
Mr. Modi remarked that the government’s efforts during the energy crisis would one day be recorded in history. He observed that while some people were busy spreading rumors and creating panic, officials worked tirelessly behind the scenes—with patience, hard work, and sensitive policy decisions—to ensure uninterrupted energy supplies. He expressed gratitude to the people of the country for their cooperation during this challenging period. Mr. Modi criticized those who attempted to politicize the crisis instead of supporting the nation.
Referring to the global fertilizer crisis caused by conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, he noted that while urea prices in many countries had reached around ₹3,000 per bag, the government ensured Indian farmers continued to receive urea at approximately ₹300 per bag, thereby protecting them from the global price surge.
Highlighting the Pachpadra refinery, the Prime Minister described it as a historic project in India’s journey toward becoming a developed and self-reliant nation. He stated that the refinery would generate employment opportunities for thousands of people and provide a significant boost to industrial development in Western Rajasthan. Congratulating the youth of the state, he said the project would open new avenues for investment and economic growth in the region.
Mentioning other development initiatives launched during the visit, Mr. Modi stated that the newly constructed terminal building at Jodhpur Airport would boost tourism, trade, and employment in the Marwar region. He stated that the launch of the revised flight scheme from Jodhpur would improve air connectivity to small towns and remote areas. He also noted that the long wait for a solution to the water crisis in Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region is coming to an end and congratulated the people on the new development projects. He criticized the previous Congress government for failing to resolve Rajasthan’s long-standing water issues. Mr. Modi said that the current government is working with a “Nation First” approach and focusing on the development of every region and every citizen. Mr. Modi also handed over appointment letters to approximately 54,000 newly recruited youths across various departments of the Rajasthan government.
