CM Fadnavis asserts Nanar project will go ahead as planned

Mumbai: Despite Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s reservations about the Nanar green refinery project, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has asserted that the government will go ahead with the project. Mr Fadnavis said that he would convince Mr Thackeray, Narayan Rane and residents of villages in the vicinity of the project.  

Mr Fadnavis claimed that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed was not about the Nanar project, but about the oil refinery on the western coast. Meanwhile, industries minister Subhash Desai declared that he would resign from the ministry if the government went ahead with the project. However, the Sena is still to decide its strategy on the issue.

Oil companies on behalf of the Union government had signed the MoU with UAE oil major Aramco on April 11 to develop an oil refinery in the Ratnagiri district. Mr Thackeray was upset with the Union’s decision and the fact that the state government was planning to go ahead with the project despite the Sena’s opposition. On the topic of the refinery, Mr Fadnavis asserted that the project would go ahead as it was beneficial for the country and the state in terms of creating jobs and boosting the economy.

Mr Fadnavis had assured that the government would not go ahead with the project if Mr Thackeray and residents of villages opposed.