Nitin Gadkari Rejects Conflict Of Interest Claims, Says Sons Ethanol Business Is Under 0.5% Of India's Market & Politically Targeted
· Free Press Journal
New Delhi: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has dismissed allegations that he personally benefited from the government's ethanol blending programme. He said the claims are politically motivated and part of a misinformation campaign aimed at him and the government.
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Rejects Allegations
Speaking to The Times of India, Gadkari said his sons run the family sugar business independently and he has no role in its operations, pricing or procurement. He added that ethanol contributes only around 10 percent of their business, while their share in India's total ethanol market is less than 0.5 percent.
Nitin Gadkari Defends E20 Fuel Policy, Challenges Critics To Show Vehicle DamageHe also pointed out that the companies have debt of around Rs 1,600 crore, saying claims that his family gained significantly from the ethanol programme are false.
Supports Alternative Fuels
Gadkari said he has been promoting alternative fuels for many years, long before the current government. He noted that the ethanol blending programme began during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and was later supported by the UPA government as well.
He said his support is not limited to sugarcane-based ethanol. He has also encouraged ethanol production from maize, rice, crop stubble and bamboo. Apart from ethanol, he continues to promote methanol, hydrogen and electric vehicles as cleaner fuel options.
Answers E20 Fuel Concerns
Responding to concerns over E20 petrol, Gadkari said there is no evidence that it damages vehicle engines. According to him, all E10-compliant vehicles can safely use E20 fuel, and no complaints have been received by his ministry after inviting people to report issues.
He admitted that E20 may slightly reduce fuel efficiency during high-speed highway driving because ethanol has lower energy content than petrol. However, he said the difference is very small in normal city traffic.
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Gadkari said people who do not want ethanol-blended petrol can choose 100 percent petrol, but it would cost more. He added that the petroleum ministry will decide whether different blending options should be offered at fuel stations.
On highway construction, the minister said the government follows a zero-tolerance policy on poor-quality work. He said nearly 950 highway projects have been reviewed and strict action has been ordered wherever quality standards were compromised.