Green initiatives in construction sector will lead PM's vision to make country carbon neutral by 2070: Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari said green initiatives in the construction sector will be taken to achieve the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to make the country carbon neutral by 2070.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today he said under the leadership of the Prime Minister all steps will be taken to make the country clean and garbage-free. He said in the ongoing Swachta hi seva fortnight several programs including cleanliness drive along national highways, wayside amenities, Dhabas, and Toll plazas have been planned at 13000 locations and work has been completed in almost 7000 locations.

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Shri Gadkari said disposal of Solid Waste generated on daily basis is the major environmental challenge being faced in urban areas across the Country. He said about 10,000 ha of land is locked in dump sites. He said the Ministry is working on solutions to utilize urban solid waste in Highway Construction. He said creating wealth from waste is possible through technology and visionary leadership.

Talking about the Alternate biofuels in the country Shri Gadkari said he has been a strong proponent of creating an Ethanol Economy and has been pushing for a large-scale up-take of Ethanol to boost agricultural growth by 6%.  He said the objective is to make an Ethanol Economy of Rs. 2 Lakh Crore. He said with the launch of the World’s First BS-6 Compliant Flex Fuel Strong Hybrid Vehicle in Delhi Flex Engines will be operating on 100% ethanol and the savings would surpass Rs. 1 Lakh Crore for the Economy. He said the IOCL plant in Panipat converts agricultural waste, like rice straw, into ethanol and bio bitumen.

The Minister said with advancements in bio-ethanol production technologies, 1 ton of rice can yield approximately 400 to 450 liters of ethanol, symbolizing a significant stride towards sustainability and energy independence.

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Shri Gadkari said by 2025 there will be a mandate to use 1% Sustainable Aviation Fuel with prospective plans to escalate to 5% blending in India in the future. Indian Oil is establishing a plant in Panipat with a capacity to produce 87,000 tonnes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, he added.

Shri Gadkari said in India the telecom sector operates approximately 6 lakh mobile towers. Traditionally, these towers have been reliant on diesel generator sets for power, with one tower consuming around 8,000 liters of diesel annually. 

He said this cumulatively results in a staggering consumption of 250 crore liters of diesel, costing around Rs. 25,000 crore every year. The Minister said the integration of ethanol as a fuel for these generator sets offers a sustainable alternative to diesel and the market has already developed a Generator Set on 100% ethanol. He said he is pushing the GenSet industry to only operate on ethanol-based Generators in the time to come.

Shri Gadkari said  Hydrogen is the fuel for the future and the most important way through which India can become a net exporter of energy.

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