Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says that Barmer has become the second leading oil producing region of Rajasthan after Bombay. Currently, about a quarter of the country's total crude oil is being extracted in Rajasthan. He said that the per capita income of Barmer district has increased by 6.50 per cent in the last decade with the start of oil production, which is the highest among the remaining 32 districts of the state. In ten years, the per capita income has increased from Rs 17 thousand to Rs one lakh 28 thousand, which is one and a half times more than Rs 82 thousand in the last three years.
Barmer contributes the most to the state's GDP after Jaipur. Gehlot was addressing the inauguration ceremony of Cairn Energy new scheme "Ujjwal" on Thursday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Mangala Fast Oil at Mangla Processing Terminal in Barmer.
Referring to his previous tenure, he said that our government had laid the foundation for the first refinery cum petrochemical complex, but the previous Vasundhara Raje government delayed this work which has caused loss to the entire state in employment and revenue.
He said that now the first such refinery will be set up in the country where the refinery and petrochemical complex will come together. State Revenue Minister Harish Chaudhary, Energy Minister Dr. BD Kalla, Medical Minister Raghu Sharma and Cairn Oil and Gas CEO Ajay Dixit were also present on the occasion. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Medical College at Barmer and laid the foundation stone of Nandi Gaushala.
