Nitin Gadkari News / Does the petrol lobby not want E20 fuel to come to India, Gadkari gave a statement

Nitin Gadkari News: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has recently taken a tough stand on the criticism of E20 fuel on social media. Gadkari clarified that this criticism is not due to any technical flaw, but is a propaganda sponsored by the "rich and powerful petrol lobby". He also alleged that a well-planned paid campaign is being run against him.

What is E20 fuel?

E20 fuel is a mixture of petrol and ethanol, containing 80% petrol and 20% ethanol. The Government of India considers it an important step towards green energy transition. This eco-friendly fuel is helpful in reducing pollution and promoting energy self-sufficiency. However, some users on social media claim that E20 fuel can reduce the mileage of vehicles and have a negative effect on the engine.

Petrol lobby conspiracy?

Speaking at the Auto Retail Conclave organised by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), Gadkari said, "There are lobbies everywhere, including among you. But the rumours being spread on social media against E20 fuel are the work of the petrol lobby." He stressed that E20 fuel will play an important role in making India energy self-reliant and reducing pollution.

Ministry's clarification

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has already clarified that the impact of E20 fuel on mileage is being exaggerated. According to the ministry, reverting from E20 to E-0 will harm India's achievements in pollution control and energy transition.

Alternative fuels and new technologies

Gadkari said in his address that India is rapidly working on new battery technologies. The country's startups are researching sodium ion, lithium ion, zinc ion and aluminium ion batteries. Apart from this, rare earth metals and other metals can be recovered from the scrapping of old vehicles. Gadkari also mentioned that India is now moving towards self-reliance in semiconductor chip manufacturing, which was earlier completely dependent on China.

Future of petrol-diesel vehicles

Gadkari said that the demand for petrol and diesel vehicles will still remain. Automobile production is growing by 15-20% every year, and the demand for these is also strong in the international market. However, alternative fuels and technologies are slowly making their place.

Progress of India's automobile industry

Gadkari said that when he took charge of the ministry, the size of India's automobile industry was ₹ 14 lakh crore, which has now increased to ₹ 22 lakh crore. Globally, India ranks third after the US (₹ 78 lakh crore) and China (₹ 47 lakh crore).