Guru Gobind Singh Refineries Ltd (GGSRL), the 9 mln tpa refinery being commissioned at Bathinda by a HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd. JV is expected to launch by 2011. The Rs 18900 crore project, which will make Bathinda one of the major petrochemical hubs in Asia, is expected to be operational by 2011. In a recent presentation to the industry department of the state government, HPCL has put forth various demands, including waiver of stamp duty for speeding up the execution. The company has asked the government to monitor all development work in an area of 5 km around the refinery by a single state agency for buffer zone. It has also sought assistance from the government for acquisition of retail outlet sites in major cities in the state to access the market for GGSRL's production.
