‘Ethanol… that was all propaganda’: Gadkari defends E20, bats for alternative fuels

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari made a strong case for alternative fuels and construction materials, arguing that India can reduce its dependence on fossil fuel imports while creating new opportunities for farmers. Citing India’s ₹22 lakh crore fossil fuel import bill, Gadkari said farmers could become fuel, bitumen and hydrogen providers, helping raise the rural economy’s contribution to GDP from 12% to 22%, as he projected. He also highlighted bio-bitumen, waste-derived materials, ethanol, CBG and hydrogen-powered trucks and buses as potential drivers of cleaner mobility, rural employment and economic growth.