Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], March 29 (ANI): On the foundation day of Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL), Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel virtually inaugurated the country's largest Chlorotoluene plant, established by GACL at Dahej, said a statement from CMO on Saturday.

With this initiative by the Gujarat government, the new plant will utilize chlorine to manufacture value-added chlorine-based products like Benzyl Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, and Benzaldehyde.

The newly inaugurated plant, built for Rs 350 crore, boasts an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes and is expected to create around 1,000 direct and indirect job opportunities. Additionally, GACL's new Chlorotoluene plant is set to generate approximately Rs 130 crore in foreign exchange through chemical exports to Europe, America, and South Asia.

On the occasion of GACL's foundation day, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel congratulated the GACL family and praised the successful 50-year journey of GACL along with the commencement of this new plant.

GACL's Executive Managing Director and Secretary to the Chief Minister, Avantika Singh, provided further details to the Chief Minister, stating that GACL, a state government enterprise, has been operational since 1973 and operates three production units--two in Dahej and one in Vadodara--manufacturing over 35 products, including caustic soda.

Over the past five decades, GACL has expanded its production capacity and introduced new products. GACL boasts an annual production capacity of over 8 lakh metric tonnes of caustic soda and holds the distinction of being the only manufacturer in India of Sodium Chlorate and Hydrazine Hydrate.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel virtually inaugurated GACL's new plant at Dahej, in the presence of Pankaj Joshi, Chief Secretary; S S Rathore, Chief Minister's Advisor; Manoj Kumar Das, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister; Praveena DK, Managing Director of GIDC; along with senior officials of GACL and the district administration. (ANI)