Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the Centre is encouraging investments in petrochemical sector and plans to double per capita consumption of plastics from the present 10 kg per person 20 kg a person by 2022. He said this while speaking at the 'Indian Oil Petrochemical Conclave 2016' in Mumbai yesterday. <br/><br/>Mr Pradhan further said that this would require setting up of one naphtha cracker plant every year. It will bring huge employment generation and growth opportunities for new ancillary industries, among others, he said. Mr Pradhan said, in order to achieve the ambitious target, huge investments are required in next 5 to 6 years in petrochemical sector. <br/><br/>The Minister said, capital outlays worth Rs 2 lakh-crore are expected to be made in diverse product lines – in polyester intermediates, polyester film and yarn, polymers and other petrochemicals. He added that the Indian Oil has also planned future investments worth Rs 30,000 crore in various petrochemical streams. When these new projects take shape, employment would be generated for 10,000 people directly and 1 million people indirectly. <br/><br/>Further, these investments would spur the setting up of around 800-1000 downstream converting industries in MSME sector propelling the growth of entrepreneurial landscape. Mr Pradhan also informed that the government is not going to impose any customs duty on crude oil.