Government to Accelerate Pace of Highway Construction: Nitin Gadkari
The government wants to speed up highway development from the current 38 km per day to 100 km per day, according to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Gadkari stated during the Business Today India@100 event that the road ministry has granted highway projects totaling Rs 2.5 lakh crore so far this year and will award highway projects totaling Rs 10 lakh crore by March of the following year.
In response to the growing social media worry that the government's E20 is harming cars and that fuel prices aren't going down, Gadkari denied the allegation, claiming that the petroleum industry is pushing against the initiative.
The minister added that before the government makes a decision regarding ethanol blending, the Pune-based Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) carries out experiments and produces findings.
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With a few small engine modifications, Indian cars can now run on E20 gasoline to avoid corrosion and other problems. Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced gasoline with 20 percent ethanol in 2023.
By the end of August, the Indian government plans to implement regulations requiring gasoline to include 27 percent ethanol.
It is anticipated that ethanol, which can be made from broken rice, sugarcane, and other agricultural products, will lessen India's reliance on imported oil. Given that it imports over 88 percent of its crude oil needs and is currently the third-largest oil consumer in the world, India is susceptible to geopolitical fluctuations that could affect crude prices.
Gadkari restated his goal of becoming India the world's leading vehicle sector. The Indian vehicle business is currently worth Rs 22 lakh crore. The US vehicle sector is currently worth Rs 78 lakh crore, with China and India coming in second and third, respectively, at Rs 47 lakh crore and Rs 22 lakh crore.
The minister claims that the car industry has produced the most jobs in the nation, with 4.5 crore jobs established to far. Gadkari added that within six months, the cost of electric cars (EVs) will be lower than that of gasoline-powered automobiles in the nation.
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By December of this year, the minister added, India's logistics costs will drop to nine percent According to the minister, the cost of logistics is eight percent in China and 12 percent in the US and European nations. Gadkari also emphasized the necessity of raising agricultural productivity.