Government Aims At Diversifying Agriculture To Support Sustainable Energy Efforts, Says Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said agriculture is India’s real strength and the government intends to diversify it into energy and power sectors.

Addressing Bio-Energy Summit 2021 ‘Farm-2-Fuel: Sustainable Bioenergy Solutions for Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, he said India’s fuel energy security can be well supported by agriculture as it expands the scope of waste to wealth and waste to energy ideas.

The minister said these targets will be achieved through a five-phase strategy which includes: adopting biofuels and renewables, implementing energy efficiency norms, improving refinery processes, increasing domestic production and achieving demand substitution.

Gadkari said this strategy uses a strategic role for biofuels in the Indian energy basket. The minister said the announcements on advancing the target year for 20 per cent ethanol-blending by five years to 2025, 5 per cent blending of biodiesel in a diesel by 2030, directing oil companies to sell 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol from 1 April, 2023, and BIS specifications for higher ethanol blends – E12 and E15 gives an indication of the importance that the government gives to biofuels and alternative source of energy.

He said India is one of the fastest-growing economies leading through sustainable and climate-neutral development. He said society should be livable, workable, and sustainable for all with an important focus on ethics, ecology, and the environment.

Gadkari said India is committed to meeting the Paris Climate Agreement, where efforts are centred to reduce carbon emissions by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030.

The minister said necessary steps are being taken to decarbonise the transport sector by reducing the harmful green house gas (GHG) emissions. He said we are committed to adopt import-substitute, cost-effective, indigenous, and pollution-free modes of transport in the country.

Gadkari said India is committed to an eminently achievable clean energy-based economy, through an annual road-map for production, supply of ethanol till 2025-26, and systems for its countrywide marketing.