Govt Orders All Car Makers To Sell Biofuel Vehicles In 6 Months: End For Petrol/Diesel Cars?

In the next six months, India will make it mandatory for auto manufacturers to offer vehicles running 100 percent on biofuels said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday. 

Biofuels Is Future

This move will definitely be cost-effective for consumers, especially for those who are hassled by the high petrol prices.

Further, the minister said, a litre of bioethanol costs Rs 65 as against Rs 110 paid for petrol.

In addition to that, the alternative fuel is also less polluting and saves forex.

Gadkari added, “We are committed to delivering vehicles with flex engine norms. We have taken a decision, we will make it mandatory by which there will be a flex-engine,” at an event hosted by domestic brokerage Elara Capital.

He said, “Within six months, we will give orders for making flex engines (mandatory),”.

Availability Of Bio-fuels

Adding that state-run oil marketing companies have already been ordered to offer bio-fuels at the same facilities as the ones selling petrol and diesel.

Considering the consumer, they will have a choice between petrol and bioethanol.

Basically, a switch to the alternative is essential for the country since the surplus production of crops like rice, maize, corn and sugar, from which bioethanol is made.

He mentioned that the minimum support price offered to the farmers is higher than the commercial price or the one in international prices for many of the crops.

Thus, making it essential for diverting the harvest for the overall betterment of the country.

Fast Pace Manufacturing Of Electronic Vehicles

Apart from this, the manufacturing of electronic vehicles is also on at a fast pace across categories and estimated that there will be a flood of such automobiles on the roads in a year, Gadkari said.

In the next five years, Gadkari wants India to be the leading auto manufacturing hub in the world offering vehicles with all the fuels for the world. 

Also, the recently launched vehicle scrappage policy will help in sourcing the raw materials, he added.

Hydrogen Fule As An Alternatinve

He informed that efforts are also underway on using hydrogen as a fuel, and to tap the gas from seawater and sewage water.

At the same time, the National Highways Authority of India has already been undertaking monetisation efforts through which it has raised over Rs 40,000 crore, Gadkari said.

He sounded confident about achieving the incremental target of raising Rs 1.60 lakh crore from the roads sector included in the national monetization plan announced earlier this month.

Improving Indian Road’s Condition

Moving ahead, he assured that in the next three years, Indian roads will be at par with the ones seen in the US or Europe from a quality perspective.

He said that the government is also targeting to lower fatalities through a variety of interventions over time and take the number to zero deaths on highways by 2030.

Gadkari said that engineering, enforcement, education and emergency care services can be of help.