Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep SinghPuri at an event here said oil and gas projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore have been approved for the northeastern region (NER), which are expected to be completed by 2025. He also announced that one of the oldest operating refineries in the world, the Digboi refinery inAssam, would be expanded.

The NER is of strategic importance to India. In line with its intent of rapidly transforming the region, the Union Government has undertaken many key initiatives to augment and pace up Economic Development.

There is a huge hydrocarbon potential waiting to be tapped. Of the estimated 7,600MMTOEin the NE, only 2,000 MMTOE has been discovered so far. With concerted efforts by Industry and governments, oil production is expected to increase by 67% from 4.11 MMT in 2020-21 to 6.85 MMT in the next four years. Gas production is expected to be more than double from 5.05 BCM in 2020-21 to 10.87 BCM in the next four years,