In a major development for the public sector enterprise based in Assam, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri announced on December 2 that Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) has officially been granted Navratna status. The Minister hailed the achievement as a moment of great pride, emphasizing that the upgraded recognition is a testament to the company’s robust financial performance and its ambitious trajectory for expansion under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Puri specifically drew attention to NRL’s significant ongoing endeavors, including the Numaligarh Refinery Expansion Project (NREP), which is poised to substantially increase the refinery’s total capacity. Furthermore, he recognized the contribution of the recently inaugurated Assam Bio-Refinery Pvt. Ltd. (ABEPL) bamboo-based 2G bioethanol plant. This facility, he noted, has played a crucial role in positioning both Assam and the entire Northeast region as vital contributors to India’s national energy security and its broader green growth initiatives.
The Minister extended his congratulations to the dedicated workforce of Numaligarh Refinery Limited, alongside the promoter Oil India Limited, equity partner Engineers India Limited, and the Government of Assam, all of whom he acknowledged for their collective efforts in securing this elevated status. According to Puri, the coveted Navratna recognition will equip NRL with significantly greater financial and operational autonomy, thereby enabling the company to undertake more ambitious projects and act as a powerful catalyst for accelerated industrial growth across the region.
