Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the revival of the Talcher fertilier plant in Odisha, which is going to be India’s first coal gasification-based urea and ammonia unit.

During the ceremony, Modi said he was confident his party would win the 2019 General Elections, and promised the audience he would return to inaugurate the plant three years later. “Whenever I go to inaugurate a project, I ask when will you start production?” Modi said. “They [the officials] told me it will take 36 months to complete the project. I assure the people of Talcher and Odisha that after 36 months, I will, myself, come to dedicate it to the people.”

The prime minister said the government had taken the decision to start the Talcher fertilizer plant in 2000 but everything remained on paper. “I am left stunned when I think about how such fertilizer plants have been promised for years, but no actual work has taken place,” he added.

The Talcher project will reduce dependence on urea and gas imports, Modi said. “The plant will promote alternative use of domestic coal in an environment friendly manner, thereby supporting India’s commitments under the CoP 21 Paris Agreement 2016,” GAIL Limited said in a statement. “It will produce 2.38 million metric standard cubic meter per day (MMSCMD) natural gas equivalent syngas from coal, leading to reduction in import bill of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by more than Rs 1,620 crore per annum.”

The prime minister also urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to join the Ayushmaan Bharat health insurance scheme, which will be unveiled on Sunday. “As many as 50 crore people will benefit from Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana under Ayushman Bharat scheme which will be launched tomorrow from Jharkhand,” Odisha TV quoted Modi as saying. “If Odisha government doesn’t cooperate, I will not be able to serve you.”

After addressing the rally, the prime minister inaugurated an airport in Jharsuguda district named the Veer Surendra Sai Airport. “This airport in Jharsuguda is well located to serve the needs of the people of Odisha,” Modi said. “This is going to be the second airport in the state. While we are that this airport is opening, we also need to wonder why it took so many years for a second airport in Odisha.”

The prime minister then travelled to Janjgir in Chhattisgarh, where he addressed a public meeting and laid the foundation stone for highway projects and a railway line between Bilaspur and Anuppur, ANI reported.