As part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey dedicated India’s first, BHEL-built Coal to Methanol (CTM) pilot plant, to the Nation today. Dr. Nalin Shinghal, CMD, BHEL, Sh. Jeetendra Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Functional Directors on the Board of BHEL and senior officials of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and BHEL were present in the virtual ceremony.

Dr. Pandey also inaugurated an exhibition on ‘Products Developed under Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ organised at BHEL’s Hyderabad unit. In addition, an audio-visual presentation was made on the ‘Unsung Heroes of the Indian Freedom Struggle’ belonging to the Telangana Region. BHEL employees joined the program virtually from multiple locations across the country. While participants logged-in to the online event in large numbers, the event was also webcast live where scores of employees watched the proceedings through the broadcast mode.

Speaking on the occasion, the  Minister said that Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi's vision of Atamnirbhar  Bharat and clean and green future needs to be achieved. He stated  that the role of the manufacturing sector will be crucial in realizing this vision.  He further mentioned  that the government has already highlighted the importance of the manufacturing sector through schemes like Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.  Shri Pandey added that capital goods industry is the backbone of the manufacturing sector. It provides critical inputs such as machinery and equipment to a broad set of user-industries.

The Minister said being the largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise, the role of BHEL in fulfilling the vision of the Government is very important.  Dr. Pandey emphasised that BHEL will have to play an important role in building an Atmanirbhar Bharat to meet India's climate commitments, as announced by  the Prime Minister in the recently concluded COP26 meeting.

Dr. Nalin Shinghal, CMD, BHEL, while enumerating the initiatives undertaken by BHEL during the ‘AKAM Iconic Week’ celebrations, thanked the Ministry of Heavy Industries and the Government for supporting BHEL on a sustained basis. Addressing the participants, he said that R&D has always been one of BHEL’s core strengths and BHEL is focussed on playing a leadership role on the path to achieving the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s ‘Panchamrit’ vision @ the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

Notably, the 0.25 TPD capacity CTM pilot plant, indigenously designed, developed and installed by BHEL, is currently producing methanol with purity of more than 99% from high ash Indian coals. Significantly, this conversion of high ash Indian coals to methanol through the gasification route, is the first of its kind technology demonstration in India.

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DJN/TFK