Pointing out how the government’s ethanol blending programme is politically crucial, Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday that there are 189 parliamentary constituencies where farmers grow sugarcane. Had the ethanol blending programme not been accelerated, he said, pending sugarcane dues of farmers would have posed serious problems to leaders.
He said if the cane dues were not paid in time, it would have been difficult for leaders to travel to their constituencies or be in decision making roles in Delhi. “There are 189 parliamentary constituencies where farmers grow sugar and if they didn’t get their dues, we can’t come here (Delhi) even for taking decisions,” he said.
Speaking at the unveiling of the first prototype of the electric flex fuel vehicle by Toyota Kirloskar, Gadkari said because of the decline in availability of sugar in the international market and increased manufacturing of ethanol, Indian sugar is getting good prices. “Otherwise, it would have been tough. Earlier sugar mills were unable to pay the cane dues of farmers. Because of the government’s big push for ethanol production, we are in a comfortable situation.” In a remark directed at his Cabinet colleague, Mahendra Nath Pandey, who hails from UP, he said, “Uttar Pradesh farmers are getting their dues in time.”
The minister said farmers are growing more sugar because they are not getting enough returns from other crops. The minister said roll out of flex fuel vehicles will create a better environment and more job opportunities.
He also urged Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri to look into the proposal and test reports submitted by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) for allowing 15% blending of ethanol in diesel. Currently, bending of ethanol is allowed only in petrol.
