Gadkari pitches for alternate fuels; says govt not against petrol, diesel

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari Wednesday pitched for alternative fuels such as ethanol and methanol along with electric vehicles, reiterating that the government's policy is to reduce import, enhance exports and curb pollution.

The minister, who had last year threatened to "bulldoze" the auto industry to adopt electric vehicles, struck a conciliatory note and said the government was not against petrol and diesel fuels.

"Our policy is very clear. We want to reduce imports, increase exports and finish pollution," he said at the annual convention of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) here.

Stating that India is facing two major issues -- pollution and rising imports of fuels -- Gadkari said, "Import bill is increasing due to the rise in automobile sector. This is the biggest challenge facing our economy and for that we have come out with a programme.."
Seeking to address concerns in the automotive industry over the future of conventional fuels, he said, "I am not against petrol, diesel and we are not closing any industry..."