Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari marked a decade of India’s commitment to sustainable energy at the 10th anniversary celebration of World Biofuel Day, held in Pune. The event, hosted by Praj Industries, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators under the newly launched ‘Praj BioVerse’, an initiative symbolizing India’s growing leadership in the global bioeconomy.
In his address, Gadkari called upon Indian industries to fast-track the adoption of biofuels, citing its multifaceted benefits: reducing oil imports, improving farmer incomes, cutting carbon emissions, and transforming the agricultural landscape. “Farmers won’t just grow food—they’ll produce fuel for aviation, construction, and transport sectors. Ending our dependency on fossil fuel imports will be a turning point in our nation’s history,” he said. He noted that the ethanol push has already increased the income of corn farmers.
The event also featured the official launch of ‘Praj BioVerse’ in the presence of Gadkari, Sanjay Kirloskar (President, MCCIA and CMD, Kirloskar Brothers), and Vikram Gulati (Country Head & Executive VP, Toyota Kirloskar Motor). To mark the occasion, Praj Industries also released a memoir by its Founder-Chairman Dr. Pramod Chaudhari titled ‘Horizons Beyond Dreams … As Is What Is’, chronicling his decades of work in sustainable energy and rural innovation.
Gadkari emphasized that biofuels are critical not only for environmental sustainability but also for bolstering energy security and rural development. He highlighted India’s rise to become the world’s third-largest automobile market, surpassing Japan, and stressed the auto sector’s importance as a major GST contributor. However, he also warned that vehicle emissions account for 40% of India’s air pollution, underscoring the need for alternative, cost-effective fuel strategies.
He shared insights into the government’s efforts to diversify agricultural output toward fuel production. Initially, the idea of producing ethanol from maize faced criticism due to the ‘food vs fuel’ debate. However, he noted that ethanol production has positively impacted the sector, corn MSP has risen, and corn acreage has increased significantly as a result.
He said that the MSP of corn was Rs 1,800 per quintal and the market price was Rs 1,200 per quintal. However, since ethanol was introduced, the price of corn in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has risen to Rs 2,600–2,800 per quintal. Because of ethanol, corn farmers are now getting better prices.
“My life’s mission is to eliminate farmer suicides by transforming agriculture through innovation and value addition,” Gadkari said.
