Sugar Industry has Survived Due to Use of Ethanol: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said the sugar industry has survived due to the advent of ethanol, and asserted there is a need for new technologies in farming.

Speaking at an event of Naam Foundation in Pune, Gadkari attributed cultivator suicides in Maharashtra's Vidarbha and Marathawada regions to the scarcity of water for farming.

The senior BJP leader hailed the work of Naam Foundation, led by actors Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure, in the field of water conservation and the welfare of the children of farmers who had committed suicide.

"Water was the main cause behind the suicides of farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. If water was available in abundance, the farmers would not have to take the extreme step," said Gadkari.

He said there is a need to bring in technology in the farming sector and experiments regarding the same have already been undertaken.

"We import fossil fuel worth Rs lakh 22 crore due to ethanol. Today, the sugarcane cultivators and sugar mill operators have survived just because of the advent of ethanol," the minister said.

Sugar is in surplus in India and sugar mills have managed to survive just because of ethanol, he added.

Earlier this month, the Congress levelled conflict of interest allegations against Gadkari, claiming he has been "aggressively lobbying" for ethanol production while his two sons are involved in firms that produce ethanol and "benefitted" from government policy.

The BJP had rejected the allegations and said the Congress has become like the Aam Aadmi Party which used to "make claims" about having documentary evidence of wrongdoings in its pocket but would have nothing in reality.

The Congress party's charges came after the Supreme Court rejected a PIL challenging the nationwide rollout of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (EBP-20). The PIL had alleged that millions of motorists were forced to use the fuel not designed for their vehicles.

The impact of E20 fuel on vehicles, including decline in fuel economy and on engine parts, became a debate on social media with many claiming drop in mileage ranging up to 20 per cent.

Gadkari on Thursday said the social media rage over blending of 20 per cent ethanol in petrol fuel was a “paid campaign” to target him politically.

There has been clarity on the E20 (20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol) with the stakeholders, including the automobile industry, he said.