Govt to soon stop imports of petroleum product in country: Nitin Gadkari

Government is focusing on stopping imports of petroleum product in country and on developing alternative fuel like ethanol, methanol, bio-CNG from waste, which will boost the rural economy and also create huge employment. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that we are going to develop this country where our import of petroleum will be zero.

The minister stated that India at present is incurring a massive Rs 4.5 lakh crore on crude imports which was earlier Rs 7.5 lakh crore. He added that the socio-economic situation is not good, agriculture is facing acute problems and this alternative fuel economy is going to change socio-economic picture of agriculture and rural economy.

Gadkari further said that we have finalised standard norms for bio-diesel, bio-CNG, ethanol, electricity and the bureaucracy also needed to fast track decisions. He said that we can make ethanol from biomass that is cotton straw, wheat straw, rice straw and bagasse. Even from municipal waste we can make ethanol. Emphasizing on “waste to wealth”, he said manufacturing ethanol and biogas from waste could result in savings to the tune of Rs 5 lakh crore annually.