Kolkata, Oct. 13 -- West Bengal is set for a major petrochemical boost with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari scheduled to inaugurate a Rs 6,000-crore phenol and acetone plant at Haldia on Wednesday, marking the second unit of Haldia Petrochemicals.
The plant, promoted by Adperma, a subsidiary of Haldia Petrochemicals, has a proposed capacity of 3.5 lakh tonnes and is expected to reduce India's dependence on imported phenol.
India currently imports around 50 per cent of its phenol requirement and 40 per cent of its acetone demand, according to officials.
The new facility is expected to strengthen domestic supply, reduce import dependence and support downstream industries that use these chemicals as industrial feedstock.
The project is also expected to generate demand for specialised manpower, creating opportunities for chemical engineers, process operators, safety professionals, quality-control managers, logistics personnel and finance executives.
The employment opportunity extends beyond direct recruitment at the plant to ancillary services and downstream businesses that could emerge around the industrial hub.
Recruitment professionals believe the project could help tap the skilled workforce available in Haldia and neighbouring districts, including East and West Midnapore and areas around Kharagpur.
However, connecting local candidates with specialised industrial jobs will require targeted recruitment, skills mapping and closer coordination between employers, training institutions and placement agencies.
The development comes amid renewed efforts to attract investment and revive industrial activity in Bengal, which the Chief Minister reiterated.
While large projects bring capital and production capacity, their wider economic impact will also depend on how effectively local workers and professionals are integrated into the emerging industrial ecosystem.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.