Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday strongly criticised what he termed a “paid politically motivated social media campaign” against the government’s ethanol-blended petrol programme, which he claimed succeeded in increasing the incomes of farmers and reducing pollution in the country.
Addressing the annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) in the national capital, the minister 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.
Gadkari pointed out 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 and the reduction in the country’s oil imports, which had resulted from the E20 programme.
The minister 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 manufacturers as sales would increase.
He also highlighted the GST cut, which would boost sales of automobiles, terming it a gift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 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.