Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday announced that the Goa government is actively pursuing various environmentally sustainable initiatives under the banner of ‘Greener Goa, Stronger Goa, Smarter Goa’. Among these is an eco-friendly, pollution-free ethanol production facility being established in Navelim village, Bicholim taluka.
Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the 300 KLPD Grain-Based Ethanol Plant by Centreal Biofuels Limited at the Navelim Industrial Area, Sawant said the project will bolster the local agricultural economy, generate jobs for Goans, and supply nutritious feed for cattle.
“This ethanol plant will not only support the farming community in Navelim but also provide employment to locals and promote sustainable industrial development,” Sawant said, calling on residents to extend their support to the project.
Also present at the ceremony were Navelim Sarpanch Rohidas Kansekal, Deputy Sarpanch Kalpana Gavas, Panchayat Member Gopal Surlkar, and Centreal Biofuels Limited Managing Director Joby George.
Sawant addressed concerns from the past, noting that earlier industries in the Navelim Industrial Area had contributed to pollution and employed mostly non-Goans. “This new plant, by contrast, is designed to be pollution-free and will ensure that 90 percent of the workforce is sourced from within the state,” he added. The facility will produce ethanol from sugarcane and other locally available crops.
Centreal Biofuels MD Joby George said the plant will have a production capacity of 300 kilolitres per day, with a target to operate at 80 percent capacity. “The ethanol will be supplied to Oil Marketing Companies under the Government of India’s Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP), which aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote cleaner alternatives,” he explained.
George also highlighted the broader economic benefits of the project, including direct and indirect employment for locals. “We plan to procure grains directly from local farmers, helping to raise their incomes and strengthen the rural economy. Additionally, by-products such as distiller’s grains will serve as high-quality animal feed,” he said.
The ethanol plant represents a key step in Goa’s push for sustainable development, with a strong focus on local empowerment, clean energy, and economic resilience
