Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari

Farmers in Bihar should diversify to produce biofuel crops in order to increase their earning potential, said Nitin Gadkari Minister for Road Transport and Highways. He was inaugurating a national highway bridge in Bihar.

Gadkari, who is also the MSME Minister, said that making ethanol from corn, sugarcane, biomass and rice (husk) can augment farmers’ income.

‘Set up biofuel units’

Pointing out that the market price of corn is almost 40 per cent lower than the Minimum Support Price, Gadkari said Bihar could focus on setting up factories and use these farm produce for making biofuels as that can complement farmers’ income. He said he will take steps to provide loan assistance for such projects.

“Ten per cent ethanol blending is permitted for petrol and diesel…Demand (for ethanol) is much higher than the availability. Vehicle manufacturers like Bajaj and TVS have started making bikes that run with 100 percent ethanol…,” added Gadkari.

He said the Road Transport and Highways Ministry was probably constructing the most number of bridges in Bihar and Assam due to the presence of long stretches of rivers — Ganga and Brahmaputra

Gadkari assured that the six-lane Koilwar Bridge on Sone river will be completed within a year. He inaugurated three lanes of the bridge that were ready. The bridge will connect Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.