ethanol-saved-india-s-sugar-industry-asserts-gadkari

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Sunday said the sugar industry in India has survived only because of the advent of ethanol, and stressed the need for new technologies in farming to improve yields and sustainability.

 

Addressing an event organised by Naam Foundation in Pune, Gadkari highlighted the role of water scarcity in farmer suicides in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. "Water was the main cause behind the suicides of farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. If water was available in abundance, the farmers would not have to take the extreme step," he said.

 

Gadkari praised the work of Naam Foundation, led by actors Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure, for its efforts in water conservation and supporting children of farmers who had died by suicide.

 

He emphasised the importance of adopting modern technology in agriculture, noting that experiments in this direction had already begun. "We import fossil fuel worth Rs lakh 22 crore due to ethanol. Today, the sugarcane cultivators and sugar mill operators have survived just because of the advent of ethanol," he added. Gadkari also noted that sugar is in surplus in India and ethanol has helped mills survive.

 

Earlier this month, the Congress accused Gadkari of a conflict of interest, claiming he was “aggressively lobbying” for ethanol production while his two sons are involved in firms that produce ethanol and have benefitted from government policy. The BJP rejected the allegations, saying the Congress had become like the Aam Aadmi Party, making claims of documentary evidence without proof.

 

The controversy followed the Supreme Court’s rejection of a PIL challenging the nationwide rollout of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E20). The PIL had argued that millions of motorists were forced to use fuel not designed for their vehicles. Social media debates about E20’s impact on mileage and engine parts, with claims of up to a 20 per cent drop in efficiency, had drawn widespread attention.

 

Gadkari defended the E20 rollout, calling the social media backlash a “paid campaign” targeting him politically. He added that there was now clarity on the use of E20 among all stakeholders, including the automobile industry.