New Delhi: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has called for a major shift in Indian agriculture towards the energy and power sectors, describing biofuels as a “once-in-a-century opportunity” to transform the rural economy. Speaking at the International Summit Expo on Bioenergy Value Chain on Thursday, the minister urged for a nationwide biofuel revolution that could help increase farm incomes, reduce the country’s heavy dependence on fossil fuel imports, and combat pollution, reports ETV Bharat.
Gadkari pointed to a sharp rise in corn prices — from ₹1,200 to ₹2,600 per quintal — as clear evidence of how the growing demand for ethanol can raise crop prices and benefit farmers.
Highlighting India’s ₹22 lakh crore annual fossil fuel import bill, Gadkari stressed the urgent need to turn agricultural waste, crop residue, bamboo, and biomass into green fuels and value-added products. “India must stop relying on imported energy and instead aim to become an exporter of clean energy,” he said.
He praised Brazil’s achievements in aviation biofuel and noted that India has also begun using alternative fuels at airports. “Sustainable aviation fuel is a big opportunity, but we need strong research and low-cost technology to compete globally,” he said.
Addressing environmental concerns, Gadkari spoke about turning stubble burning into a solution rather than a problem. He said rice straw from Punjab and Haryana could be converted into bio-CNG, ethanol, bio-bitumen, and even jet fuel. Indian Oil’s Manpur project is already working towards this goal by processing two lakh tonnes of crop waste annually into fuel.
He also proposed converting India’s vast unproductive wasteland — around 70% of which remains unused — into bamboo plantations to support energy production. NTPC, he said, has agreed to purchase bamboo as white coal for use in thermal power plants, creating new earning opportunities for farmers and rural entrepreneurs.
