All party delegation to meet PM on bio-fuels policy: Nitin Gadkari

An all-party delegation will soon meet the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in connection with the implementation of national policy on bio-fuels, BJP national president Nitin Gadkari said.

"Though the national policy was formally announced in December 2009, its implementation is very slow," Gadkari who is the chief promotor of ongoing 'Agrovision 2011', an agro exhibition organised in Nagpur, told reporters, on Sunday.

He said the national policy on bio-fuels has made it clear not to use food grains and also agriculture land for producing bio-fuels but at many places food grains like corn and soya beans are used for the purpose.

The bio-fuels programme implemented by various states is also not on par with that of the Centre and there is an urgent need for uniform adoption, he said adding since bio-fuel programmes offer employment opportunities in rural areas, they must be brought under the purview of the ministry of rural development.

He said the rural communities must be involved in raising and maintaining bio-fuels plantations, especially on degraded lands belonging to the government.

He also demanded that both the state and central government should make bio-fuels free from taxation.