Gadkari stresses on Methanol as the Future for India

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Nitin Gadkari
Nitin Gadkari

The Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari said that this is the appropriate time for India to evolve into a methanol based economy. The Minister was speaking at the inaugural session of an international seminar on “India’s Leap into Methanol Economy” in the capital . He pointed out that methanol is the future for the country. He expressed his happiness that the NITI Aayog had taken an initiative for developing methanol as an alternative source of energy, for which innovation, technology and research would be the keys.

Shri Gadkari said that knowledge must be converted into wealth and still further it is also possible to convert waste to wealth. He gave example of his experience in Nagpur where municipal waste was converted to fuel and also sold bringing profits to the local government body. He informed the audience how the waste was converted into Bio-CNG and how fifty buses are being run in Nagpur on this source of energy.

The Minister said that adopting methanol as an alternative source of energy was capable of bringing about socio-economic change in the country, as it would considerably bring down fuel import bill of the country. Surplus fund could be diverted in developing the rural economy. As rural areas are a source of feedstock for methanol, it would provide additional income and also become a source of livelihood for rural folks. Shri Gadkari said that rice straw is burnt in many parts of the country causing pollution. Instead, this could be used for making methanol. He also pointed out that the North East is rich in bamboo, which also can be used for preparing methanol. Hence methanol has the potential of boosting the rural economy.

The Minister exhorted that the knowledge and experience coming out from this conference should get translated into concrete decisions and fast track action. He also expressed hope that the visionary approach of NITI Aayog will bring about radical change in the country.

Earlier, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that there was a great demand for fuel in the rural economy as motorbikes were quickly replacing bicycles. He also said that the country needs to reduce its present import bill of 4.5 lakh crore and methanol could help in that direction.

The CEO of Methanol Institute of USA, Mr. Greg Dolan said that India’s priority should be to look for cleaner and sustainable fuel. He added that methanol was convenient to manufacture, transport and store. Besides transportation, methanol can be used for industrial boilers, for cooking and also for manufacturing numerous other products.

During the conference, an Agreement of Statement of Intent was signed between NITI Aayog and Methanol Institute of USA.

IndianBureaucracy.com wishes the very best.

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