The Centre’s Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals has approved 10 Plastic Parks, which are at different levels of implementation across various states, aimed at enhancing investment, production and exports as well as employment in the country, according to a year-end review released on Tuesday.

The new and safer pesticides developed by the Centre’s Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT) and the successful India Chem 2024 conference also figure in the review.

Under the scheme for setting up plastic parks, the Department promotes the setting up of need-based plastic parks with requisite infrastructure and enabling common facilities. The objective is to consolidate and synergize the capacities of downstream plastic processing industries.

The new scheme for petrochemicals also includes a scheme for setting up Centres of Excellence and the Petrochemicals Research & Innovation Commendation Scheme.

With regard to Centres of Excellence (CoEs), the objective is to provide grants-in-aid to educational and research institutions to improve existing technology and promote the development of new applications. The emphasis of the Scheme is on the modernization and upgradation of existing manufacturing processes as well as improving the quality of products. 18 CoEs have been approved so far, according to the official statement.

Under the Petrochemicals Research & Innovation Commendation Scheme, the government felicitates meritorious innovations and inventions in the field of petrochemicals, products, processes and other related areas. The scheme seeks to improve research and development in the petrochemical sector, leading to more efficient energy consumption, plastic waste management, and the development of new products.

The other major achievements listed for the year include the development of new and safer insecticides by the Gurugram-based Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology (IPFT). These include the insecticide Thiomethoxam & fungicide Hexaconazole combination gel formulation for seed treatment. The formulation effectively protects the seeds and seedlings from insects and fungal pathogens.

IPFT has also developed a safer and more effective soluble concentrate formulation of Insecticide Monocrotophos.

The conventional soluble concentrate poses the risk of accidental or intentional poisoning and leads to toxic residues in crop produce. A safer & effective formulation has been developed with emetics to minimize the risk of poisoning. The developed formulation contains a blend of adjuvants to provide higher efficacy with a dose reduction of up to 40 per cent, thus controlling the target pests at lower doses, thereby minimising the risk of toxic residues in crop products. The technology has been transferred to industry for commercialization, the official statement explained.

The Imidacloprid nanosuspension formulation with Oleoresin for Enhanced Efficacy Against Whiteflies, and the Nanoemulsion formulation of Emamectin benzoate and Acetamiprid for Sucking Pest Control was developed. The nanoemulsion provides improved pesticide efficacy, reduced environmental impact and targeted delivery. This approach promotes sustainable pest management and minimizes the environmental impact of chemical pesticides while ensuring the safety of non-target organisms.

Besides, the formulation development for pest management in seed spices crops, in collaboration with ICAR-National Research Centre for Seed Spice, Ajmer is ongoing, the statement added.

IPFT is also making efforts to popularize the use of botanicals and biopesticides from locally available plants for controlling different agricultural insects among farmers on a pan-India basis.

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals also organised the 13th edition of the mega event 'India Chem 2024' in Mumbai. The event is one of the largest exhibition cum conferences for chemical and petrochemical industries in the Asia-Pacific region, the event showcased the immense opportunities within India's rapidly growing chemical sector and highlighted various government initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable growth.

India Chem 2024 provided a platform for brainstorming discussions amongst industry leaders and government representatives on specific topics of relevance to the sector, facilitating dialogue on investment prospects, regulatory frameworks, and strategic challenges. The event saw participation from 172 exhibitors, including 49 international exhibitors, and attracted 78 global CEOs, 135 speakers, and 689 foreign participants.