Switch to alternate fuel: Nitin Gadkari to manufacturers
Earlier, a Niti Aayog report had also recommended adoption of electric and shared vehicles in the country and suggested restricting registration of diesel and petrol vehicles
Union Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday warned automobile manufacturers to switch to alternative fuel, else face "bulldozing" of their vehicles. He also said a policy on electric vehicles is in the pipeline.
Speaking at the SIAM's annual convention, the minister emphasised the need of moving towards alternative fuel.
"I am going to do this, whether you like it or not and I am not going to ask you. I will bulldoze it," adding that the government has a clear policy to reduce imports and curb pollution and that the the future is not of petrol and diesel, but of alternative fuel.
Earlier, the government's premier think tank Niti Aayog had also recommended adoption of electric and shared vehicles in the country and suggested restricting registration of diesel and petrol vehicles.
A report prepared by NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute has recommended encouraging electric vehicles by providing incentives to electric vehicles manufacturers and limit registration of conventional vehicles through public lotteries.
India could save as much as $60 billion in fuel costs by 2030 and one gigatonne of carbon emission between 2017 and 2030 by adopting more electric and shared vehicles, the report had stated.
It had also estimated that India can conservatively save up to 64 per cent of anticipated passenger mobility-related energy demand and 37 per cent of carbon emission by 2030.
The ministry is in the process of drafting a cabinet note on electric vehicles that will address the issue of charging stations, Gadkari informed, adding that a policy on electric vehicles is in the offing.
Reiterating his stand on ethanol as an alternative fuel and being an import substitute, cost effective and pollution free, he said the government has decided to start 15 industries for second generation ethanol, which can be produced from agro-based cotton straw, wheat straw, rice straw, bagass and bamboo.
Talking about the proposed vehicle scrapping policy, Gadkari said now that GST Council is formed, the ministry is preparing a cabinet note.