Shillong, Feb 12: The All Assam Engineers’ Association (AAEA) has welcomed the initiative by the central and the state governments to encourage the use of green fuel in automobiles and urged the authorities concerned to launch a public awareness campaign about alternative fuel.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has been advocating for ethanol mixed fuel (mostly with petrol/gasoline) for the vehicles.
“India today spends around Rs 8 lakh crore annually for importing crude oil, gas and other petroleum products and the PM Narendra Modi-led central government decides to reduce the amount with the use of ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, compressed natural gas, green hydrogen, electric arrangements,” said a media statement by AAEA.
“The optimum use of ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol) in patrol-powered engines would financially benefit the farmers as the inflammable organic and colourless compound is prepared from the agricultural produce like grain, sugarcane, hemp, molasses, potato, etc,” it added.
AAEA president Kailash Sarma said the Assam government should formulate a pragmatic flex-fuel policy so that the local farmers can get higher benefits out of the initiative.
“We urge chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take the lead with necessary inputs from agriculture scientists, qualified engineers and other stakeholders,” said the statement.
