Not against petrol, diesel: Nitin Gadkari

Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday said, he is not against petrol and diesel vehicles and that his statements are sometimes misinterpreted.

India should find a substitute for fuel imports that is cost-effective, pollution-free, and indigenous, says Gadkari. He added that why do customers insist only on petrol and diesel.

India’s fuel imports stood at ₹22 lakh crore last year and 40% of air pollution in the country is because of the transport sector, the Union minister says.

On Bajaj Auto’s CNG motorcycle ‘Freedom’, Gadkari says the running cost of the CNG motorcycle is ₹1 for 1 kilometre. In contrast, for petrol motorcycles, the running cost comes to at least ₹2.5 per kilometre.

The Union minister stressed the need to diversify some agricultural output towards the energy sector.

"India’s 65-70% population works in agriculture but their contribution to GDP is only 12%. So we need to diversify some agriculture (output) towards the energy and power sector, from sugar cane juice to ethanol, molasses to ethanol, corn to ethanol,” says Gadkari.

“Last year, the rate of corn was ₹1,200 per quintal. The commercial price was less than the MSP (minimum selling price), and today the corn rate is ₹2,800 rupees per quintal. So farmers are getting double the price, and at the same time, we are reducing our imports. I am not against anybody. But when the economic viability is there, you are getting a good market,” Gadkari says.

Gadkari acknowledged that the auto industry is the biggest contributor to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue and provides 4.5 lakh jobs in the country.

In many countries, there is a huge demand for Indian products, says the Union minister.