Govt aims completion of infrastructure in nine plastic parks by end of 2025

The government is aiming completion of physical infrastructure at all nine plastic parks by end of 2025, according to Chemicals and Petrochemicals Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma. The government has so far approved a total of 10 plastic parks under a central scheme that provides funding up to 50 per cent of the project cost, capped at Rs 40 crore per park. Currently, there is a stay order on one park in Tamil Nadu by National Green Tribunal.

"The parks are in different stages of development. We are pushing for the completion of the physical infrastructure. By the end of this year, we want to complete the infrastructure in all nine parks," Verma told PTI.

While physical infrastructure is advancing in many parks, operationalisation remains slow. Out of nine parks, 3-4 parks are partially operational that include Tamot (Madhya Pradesh), Paradeep (Odisha) and Tinsukia (Assam), she said.

While the intention is try to complete the parks at the earliest, the secretary said it has taken a "little longer for the plastic parks because of issues related to land acquisition and coordination with the state governments."

However since last one-and-a-half year, the government is pushing state governments to complete the physical infrastructure in the parks. "So a lot of progress has taken place in the last few years," she added.

The parks are designed to attract both domestic and foreign investment, enhance production and exports of plastic products, and create a robust ecosystem for plastic processing.

The Plastic Parks Scheme was launched in 2013, with approvals for parks in Tamot and Paradeep granted on October 9, 2013.

The scheme has since expanded, with additional parks having been approved in subsequent years.