Gadkari will agree to remove petrol and diesel vehicles from the roads, announced in an open forum, told what is the next plan

New Delhi. As part of his ambition to make India a green economy, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari wants to reduce GST on hybrid vehicles and has pledged to completely get rid of over 36 crore petrol and diesel vehicles running in the country. When asked if it was possible for India to completely get rid of petrol and diesel cars, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari said, ‘100 per cent’.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said in an interview to PTI that it is difficult but not impossible. This is my point of view. He highlighted that India’s huge expenditure of Rs 16 lakh crore on fuel imports can be redirected towards benefiting farmers, promoting rural areas and creating employment opportunities for the youth.

Gadkari did not give any timeline for achieving this ambitious target, which even green energy supporters consider extremely difficult. The minister said that a proposal to reduce GST on hybrid vehicles to five percent and on flex engines to 12 percent has been sent to the Finance Ministry, which is considering it. He said that he strongly believes that the country can eliminate fuel imports by promoting the use of biofuels.

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Environmental activists welcomed Gadkari’s vision to increase green transportation, but cautioned against the move to allow the use of fossil fuels in power generation. Greenpeace India campaigner Avinash Chanchal told PTI, ‘In India we are still heavily dependent on fossil fuel-based energy systems to run electric vehicles. This needs to change. There is an urgent need to ensure 100 percent renewable energy along with electric vehicles to deal with the climate crisis.

Gadkari said that he has been advocating alternative fuels since 2004 and he is confident that things will change in the coming five to seven years. The minister said, ‘I cannot tell you any date and year for this change because it is very difficult. It is difficult, not impossible.

He said that he strongly believes that at the pace at which electric vehicles are being introduced, the coming era will be of alternative and bio-fuels and this dream will come true. Gadkari said that automotive companies like Bajaj, TVS and Hero are also planning to make motorcycles using flex engines. Three-wheelers made with similar technology are also coming.

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Tag: auto, Electric Car, Nitin Gadkari