Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani laid the foundation stone for the country’s first desalination plant having a capacity of 100 MLD at Dahej Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) in Bharuch district on 30 November 2019.

The plant is estimated to entail an investment of Rs 881 crore. The water from the plant will be supplied to industries in Dahej. Eight desalination plants will come up in Gujarat where sea water will be converted and made fit for industries, agriculture and drinking purpose. The plant will be operational in the next 30 months.

The quality of water supplied from the plant will be like the one of Narmada river. Under the present state water supply scheme, industries in Dahej get 454 MLD water daily.

The Central government has declared PCPIR in Andra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat (at Dahej in Bharuch). To promote industries, 16 new Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) have been set up across the state.

Over 1.80 lakh people are employed in Dahej PCPIR. At present, 180 units are operational in Dahej PCPIR. To boost facilities at the PCPIR, Rs 16,000 crore have been invested.