Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday dismissed recent criticism of the government’s ethanol blending programme as a “paid campaign” against him, asserting that the claims were not backed by facts and that the Supreme Court had already dismissed petitions challenging the initiative.
Speaking at the 65th SIAM Annual Convention, Gadkari said, “The social media campaign was a paid campaign against me. The Supreme Court has also dismissed the petition. There was no fact.”
The Minister has faced public scrutiny in recent weeks after concerns were raised by vehicle owners and service centres that higher ethanol blends could harm engines or reduce fuel efficiency in older vehicles. Rejecting these fears, he stressed that all evaluations had confirmed the safety of E20 fuel. “All testing agencies have confirmed there is no problem with implementation,” he said, adding that the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) had already clarified its suitability.
Reiterating the government’s push for cleaner fuels, Gadkari said the E20 programme and flex-fuel vehicles were central to reducing India’s fossil fuel import bill, which stands at Rs 22 lakh crore annually. “The Prime Minister’s vision is of a self-reliant India. From an economic perspective, if Rs 22 lakh crore is infused into the Indian economy, the benefits would be immense. That is why we took the decision to produce ethanol from maize. As a result, maize cultivation in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and across the country has tripled,” he said, highlighting how biofuels are transforming agriculture into an energy source.
On vehicle scrapping, Gadkari informed that nearly three lakh vehicles, including 1.41 lakh government vehicles, had been scrapped till August 2025. He said discussions with the Finance Minister were underway to offer GST rebates for consumers scrapping old cars and purchasing new ones. “Scrapping old cars and buying new cars gives a revenue benefit of Rs 40,000 crore to Centre and states,” he noted, adding that the policy could generate 70,000 jobs, cut pollution, and help recover rare earth materials.
Touching on India’s road safety crisis, Gadkari said the country records five lakh accidents and 1.5 lakh deaths annually—the highest in the world. “Road safety is our priority. If we can immediately bring the injured to hospitals, then we can save 50,000 lives every year,” he said, announcing a Rs 25,000 reward for those who rush accident victims to hospitals.
On logistics, the Minister said costs are expected to fall to a single digit of nine per cent by December-end. With rising demand from trucks and buses, he stressed that both safety and sustainability would remain at the core of transport policy.
