Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurates International Methanol Seminar
Gadkari stresses on use of biofuels for energy independence and reducing
logistics costs
Union
Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated
International Methanol Seminar and Expo, organised by NITI Aayog in New Delhi
today. Suman Bery, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, VK Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog,
Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India were
present on the occasion. Gadkari also visited the Expo where methanol-based
products and machinery were displayed.
Speaking
at the seminar, Nitin Gadkari stressed on two key concerns: rising pollution
and fossil fuel imports. He underscored the urgent need to reduce these imports
for self-sufficiency, which amounts to about ₹22 lakh crore, especially in
light of global geopolitical uncertainties. Gadkari highlighted the importance
of biofuels in achieving energy independence, bolstering the agricultural economy,
and ensuring the prosperity of India's farmers. He also mentioned that India's
logistics costs can be reduced by using alternative fuels such as methanol,
ethanol, and bio-CNG.
Union
Minister said that India is making significant strides in the biofuel sector,
especially in methanol. He noted that NITI Aayog's efforts to promote methanol
are yielding success, given its affordability and pollution-free nature. Low
quality Coal, which is available in few states, is also being used in making
methanol, he added.
Gadkari
said the concept of converting waste into wealth and highlighted that materials
like used tyre powder and plastic are being utilized in road construction,
which helps in reduction of bitumen imports. He also emphasized how the
initiative of using crop waste is helping to increase the incomes of farmers
across the country.
He
emphasised the significance of waste-to-energy technologies, particularly the
production of bio-CNG from rice straw. This approach has shown promise in 475
projects, with over 40 already up and running in states such as Punjab,
Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. The conversion ratio of rice
straw to Bio-CNG is roughly 5:1 in tonnes. The Union Minister also urged for
additional research into more efficient biomass sources and cost-effective
transportation methods for biomass.
Gadkari
spoke about the stubble burning problem in Punjab and Haryana. He said that
right now, we can process one-fifth of the Parali, but with better planning, we
can reduce the seasonal air pollution from stubble burning by using parali as
raw material for alternative fuels. He said that India needs to move ahead with
a policy which is cost-effective, indigenous, imports substitute based and
employment generating to address the major issues of rising pollution and
fossil fuel imports.
Gadkari appreciated NITI Aayog for organising the International Seminar and Expo on Methanol.