RAS question
The HPCL Pachpadra Integrated Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex scheduled for inauguration in April 2026 is located in which district of Rajasthan, and what is its processing capacity?
Correct answer: (C) Barmer district (Balotra); 9 MMTPA.
The HPCL Pachpadra Integrated Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex is located at Pachpadra in Balotra, Rajasthan, and has a processing capacity of 9 MMTPA.
Explanation
The correct pairing is Pachpadra in Balotra with a 9 MMTPA capacity. The PIB release on the Prime Minister's Rajasthan visit says India’s first greenfield integrated Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex at Pachpadra in Balotra was to be dedicated on 21 April 2026. It identifies the project as a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Government of Rajasthan, established with an investment of over ₹79,450 crore. The same release describes it as a 9 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum Greenfield Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex that integrates refining and petrochemical production. That is why option C matches both parts of the question: the location and the processing capacity.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Jodhpur district is not supported by the PIB release, and 12 MMTPA does not match the stated 9 MMTPA capacity.
- (B) Jaisalmer district is not the cited location, and 6 MMTPA understates the refinery capacity given in the official release.
- (D) Bikaner district is not the cited location, and 15 MMTPA is not the capacity stated for the Pachpadra complex.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan current affairs linked to major industrial infrastructure, especially location-capacity facts for flagship projects. Such questions recur in RAS because state economy, energy security and government-backed industrial projects often appear as direct factual MCQs.