Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said stepping up ethanol production can help reduce the import of crude oil and prove to be an extra means of earning for sugarcane farmers.
He claimed that before the BJP came to power, only 20 crore litres of ethanol was being sent to oil companies from Uttar Pradesh, which now increased to around 100 crore litres.
Addressing a public meeting here after dedicating to the nation three mega projects, Modi said, "Every year, India spends around Rs 5-7 lakh crore on crude oil for petrol and diesel. We can reduce this import by giving emphasis on ethanol and biofuel."
"Purvanchal has been a bastion of sugarcane farmers. Ethanol can prove to be an extra means of earning for sugarcane farmers, apart from sugar," he said. "Biofuel is being produced in different factories of UP. Before our government, only 20 crore litres of ethanol was sent to oil companies from UP. Today, around 100 crore litres of ethanol is being sent from Uttar Pradesh alone,” he said.
The PM also said the country earlier spent thousands of crores to import edible oils.
"A national mission has been started to change this situation and produce adequate edible oil in the country," he said.
On the mega fertiliser plant inaugurated by him here, Modi said, "The way Bhagirathji brought the Ganga (to the Earth), the same way Urja Ganga has been brought to bring fuel to this plant."
"Under the PM Urja Ganga Pipeline Project, a pipeline has been laid from Haldia to Jagdishpur. Because of it, the Gorakhpur fertiliser plant has started and a dozen districts in eastern India are getting cheap gas," the PM added.
Source:economictimes.com