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Key Points

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari strongly defended the government's ethanol-blended petrol programme against what he called "paid politically motivated" social media campaigns. He highlighted how ethanol production from sugarcane and maize has significantly increased farmer incomes, with maize farmers alone earning Rs 45,000 crore. The minister emphasized that all testing agencies confirmed there are no implementation problems with E20 fuel, and the Supreme Court has rejected petitions challenging its safety. Gadkari also noted the programme's success in reducing pollution and decreasing India's oil import dependency while urging auto manufacturers to pass scrapping policy benefits to consumers.

Key Points: Gadkari Slams Paid Social Media Campaign Against Ethanol Blended Petrol

  • Gadkari calls criticism a paid politically motivated social media campaign
  • Ethanol blending increased farmer incomes by Rs 45,000 crore for maize alone
  • Programme reduced pollution and cut India's oil import dependency
  • Supreme Court dismissed PIL against E20 fuel backing government stand
3 min read

Gadkari lashes out at 'paid' social media campaign against ethanol-blended petrol

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari defends ethanol-blended petrol, citing farmer income boost and pollution reduction while dismissing "paid" social media criticism.

"“All testing agencies have confirmed there is no problem with implementation” - Nitin Gadkari"

New Delhi, Sep 11

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Thursday hit back at what he called a “paid politically motivated social media campaign” against the government’s ethanol-blended petrol programme, which actually succeeded in increasing the incomes of farmers and reduced pollution in the country.

Speaking at the annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) here, Gadkari said all tests had confirmed there were no issues with the rollout of 20 per cent ethanol-blended (E20) petrol.

The minister said that production of ethanol from sugarcane, maize and rice had led to an increase in the prices of these crops which, in turn, had resulted in higher incomes for farmers.

He pointed that in the case of maize alone, farmers had earned Rs 45,000 crore due to the higher demand and increase in price of the crop after it was allowed to be used as input for the production of ethanol.

The minister also highlighted that ethanol-blending had led to a reduction in pollution and the issue had figured at the G20 conference as well which shows that the awareness of the success has been acknowledged worldwide.

Gadkari further stated that the Supreme Court has also rejected petitions challenging the legality and safety of the E20 fuel.

The Supreme Court recently dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) against E20 blending. The petition had claimed that most vehicles on Indian roads were not compatible with E20 fuel, raising risks of material degradation, safety hazards, mileage loss, and denial of insurance claims.

Rejecting the plea, the apex court backed the government’s stand highlighting the benefits for sugarcane farmers, reduction in the country’s oil imports which had resulted from the E20 programme.

The minister also mentioned studies that showed high pollution levels were leading to a reduction in the life expectancy of people.

He noted that recent fears over engine damage and warranty issues had been proven false. “All testing agencies have confirmed there is no problem with implementation,” he said, reaffirming the government’s push for cleaner fuels.

Gadkari also urged the auto industry to pass on the benefits of the scrapping policy to consumers by offering them discounts on the purchase of new cars. He said that this would lead to a reduction in pollution and benefit auto manufactures as sales would increase.

He also highlighted the GST cut which would boost sales of automobiles, terming it a gift from the Prime Minister. India’s auto sector has grown from the seventh spot to the third rank in the world which reflects the growing strength of the country’s manufacturing sector as it moves toward Atmanirbhar Bharat, the minister added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
I've been using E20 petrol for months now. No issues with my car's performance and mileage is almost the same. The reduction in pollution is much needed for our cities.
A
Arjun K
While I support ethanol blending, the government should ensure proper awareness about vehicle compatibility. Many people are still confused about which vehicles can use E20.
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Michael C
As someone working in environmental policy, India's ethanol blending program is actually quite impressive. Reducing oil imports while helping farmers - that's smart policy making.
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Shreya B
₹45,000 crore for maize farmers! That's huge money going to rural economy. These campaigns against ethanol are definitely motivated by those who don't want India to become self-reliant in energy.
K
Karthik V
Good that Supreme Court has backed the government on this. We need to trust our institutions and testing agencies rather than random social media posts. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳

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