"Signed file on 100 per cent ethanol fuel rules": Nitin Gadkari says multiple companies to adopt alternative blend
Nagpur, June 13
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said that he has approved giving legal recognition for 100 per cent ethanol blend fuel, saying that such a move will help reduce import dependence.
Speaking at a press conference commemorating 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Union Minister Gadkari said, "Last night at 8 PM, I signed the file making rules for 100% ethanol and giving it legal process."
Talking about import dependence regarding fossil fuels for India, Minister Gadkari said that ethanol will emerge as a "viable alternative to petrol", and help reduce the burden of Rs 22 lakh crore worth of imports.
"The country has an import of 22 lakh crores. Now, the resolution we made to reduce this import... gradually gas will also be produced in the country. An alternative to petrol and diesel will also be ready," he said.
Talking about attending the launch of Maruti Suzuki's WagonR being launched in a 'flex-fuel' model, which runs on 100 per cent ethanol, Gadkari expressed confidence in even two-wheelers being made for this, and multiple companies will soon adopt the model.
"I am pleased to share that I had the opportunity to launch the Maruti Suzuki WagonR running on 100% ethanol. Among the motorcycles launched, three out of five are from Hero MotoCorp, and two of Hero's motorcycles have already been launched on 100% ethanol," he said.
"In the next two months, companies such as Toyota, Suzuki, and Hyundai will also launch vehicles that run entirely on 100% ethanol," he added.
Talking about his push for ethanol blends for fuel, the Union Minister said that he faced a pushback against the idea, with some misinformation also being spread.
"I used to talk about this dream, and people used to laugh. Some friends even used to criticize it. I'll tell you a good story about how efforts are made to defame ethanol," he said.
Narrating an incident, the Union minister said that a public personality once called him and told him about his jeep breaking down, where it was claimed that the vehicle was facing a problem because of ethanol blending.
"One person called me and said his jeep had broken down. When he took it to the mechanic, the mechanic said the car broke down because of putting ethanol in it. I asked him if his car runs on petrol or diesel. He said diesel. I said, 'We don't even put ethanol in diesel, so how did it break down?' So, many attempts were made to spread misinformation," Gadkari said.
Union Ministers Hardeep Puri and Nitin Gadkari attended the launch event of Maruti Suzuki's flex-fuel car on June 4.
Speaking further on 12 years of governance under PM Modi, the Union Minister highlighted how multiple projects have been developed across various sectors.
He said, "Thanks to the double-engine government, Nagpur has witnessed significant work across various sectors...projects include the Oxygen Park and Bird Park, and we are currently developing an adventure park as well...we completed Phase 1 of the Metro and are now preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase 3. Major institutions like AIIMS Nagpur, IIM, National Law University, and IIIT Butibori have been established."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see India pushing ethanol so aggressively. Here in the US, we've been doing E85 for years, but 100% ethanol is rare. Hope the engines are properly tuned—flex-fuel vehicles can be tricky. Also, what about mileage? Ethanol has lower energy density than petrol.
Gadkari ji is one of the most visionary ministers we have. From road infrastructure to green fuel, he thinks long-term. The story about the diesel jeep breakdown is hilarious—people will spread any rumor to oppose change. But we need to ensure ethanol plants don't pollute our rivers and groundwater.
This is promising, but I'm skeptical about the infrastructure readiness. Are petrol pumps across India equipped to handle 100% ethanol? Also, what about cold starts in winter? Ethanol can be problematic in low temperatures. Still, kudos for thinking big. Let's see how Toyota and Suzuki deliver.
Finally, something concrete! I've been hearing about ethanol blending for years. But 22 lakh crore import bill—are we including defense imports in that? Anyway, good to see Maruti leading with WagonR. Hero MotoCorp already has 100% ethanol bikes? That's news to me. Let's hope it's affordable for common man.
Ethanol push makes sense for India's energy security, but I worry about water usage. Ethanol production from sugarcane is water-intensive in a country already facing water stress. Maybe second-generation ethanol from agricultural waste is the way forward. Still, Gadkari deserves applause for bold thinking.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.