Overview
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met HPCL chairman Vikas Kaushal on Monday to obtain formal commitments from the company for new investments in the state.
- HPCL said it will expand its footprint across refinery, biofuel and biogas projects while HPCL‑Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL) plans Bathinda-linked work on second‑generation (2G) biofuel technology.
- The company is setting up ten biogas plants in Punjab, of which five have been reported as already operational and the rest are in planning or early implementation stages.
- The Punjab government has offered regulatory support through its Fast Track Punjab single‑window system and time‑bound clearances to speed approvals and reassure investors.
- The projects are pitched as a way to convert crop residue into usable energy, reduce stubble burning, raise farm incomes and create local jobs, though key project timelines and investment details remain to be announced.