Gadkari statement over ethanol car damage, says - show me a single car that has been damaged by ethanol
Ethanol: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has completely dismissed the fear of vehicles getting damaged due to the use of ethanol. He said that these rumours are being spread by the petrol lobby.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has totally ruled out the apprehension of cars being destroyed as a result of using ethanol. He stated that the petrol lobby is spreading such rumours. Speaking at a program, Gadkari asked, "Has any car in the country faced any problem due to the use of 20 percent ethanol-blended petrol? Please tell me one name."
Gadkari said that the petroleum lobby is behind the doubts about ethanol-blended fuel in vehicles, which creates noise on social media. Referring to organizations like SIAM and ARI, he said that till now, not a single car has suffered any damage due to ethanol-petrol.
In the program, Gadkari said that shouldn't the oil import of Rs 22 lakh crore be reduced? Shouldn't the people of Delhi-NCR get relief from pollution? He said that we have abundant production of rice, maize, and wheat, which can be used to make ethanol. The price of maize has increased from Rs 1,200 per quintal to Rs 2,600 per quintal, and this is due to the increasing demand for ethanol.
Gadkari also said that if there is diversification in the energy and power sector, the contribution of the agriculture sector can be increased from 12 percent to 22 percent. He admitted that some people may have vested interests in this. But there is no need to worry, because government institutions test everything and the ministry sets the standards.
Gadkari said that the target for the financial year 2026 is to build 38 km of highway per day, and there is a plan to take it to 100 km per day in the future. He said, "So far highway projects worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore have been awarded, and the target is to take it to Rs 10 lakh crore by the end of this financial year." According to Gadkari, the road transport sector will play an important role in the development of the country.
Considering China's ban on rare earth metals as a challenge, Gadkari said that the government is working on accelerating domestic lithium mining. He said, "There is a lot of potential in the mining sector, and if all environmental approvals are received in six months with easy policies, then this work can be expedited."
