NEW DELHI: In today’s Rajya Sabha session, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, delivered a comprehensive address shedding light on the escalating issue of vehicle pollution in India. The minister outlined key strategies involving hydrogen-driven and electric vehicles to combat the rising carbon footprint.
Nitin Gadkari said, “It is absolutely true that the emission of CO2 in our country is from the transport sector and it is increasing day by day, this is a matter of concern. 330 metric tons of CO2 emission every year, it is a very dangerous problem. 85 percent of the fuel in our country is fossil fuel which is imported and the cost of import is Rs 16 lakh crore. This is a very serious problem from the point of view of both economics and pollution, and it is petrol and diesel which need to be made special. The Indian government has made a lot of efforts for the pollution that is talked about here and has given it priority”.
Gadkari emphasized the critical concern of increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the transport sector, amounting to a staggering 330 metric tons annually.
This alarming statistic, coupled with the fact that 85 per cent of the country’s fuel is fossil fuel, imported at a cost of Rs 16 lakh crore, underscored the economic and environmental urgency.
The Minister called for a specialized focus on petrol and diesel as major contributors to the predicament.
Gadkari said, “India earlier was at 5th position in automobile manufacturing, but today our number has become 3rd. First is America, second is China, then we are. We also defeated Japan in this. But one thing is also that its growth rate has also increased. Total vehicles account for 9.91 per cent, and cars and four-wheelers account for 20 per cent. And this industry is giving maximum GST to the Government of India and State Government and 4.5 crore jobs have been created here”.
The Minister articulated the Indian government’s concerted efforts to address the pollution challenge, placing it as a top priority. Despite being the third-largest automobile manufacturer globally, with a commendable growth trajectory, Gadkari acknowledged a slowdown in the industry’s growth rate.
The automobile sector, encompassing cars and four-wheelers, contributes significantly to the nation’s GST revenue and supports 4.5 crore jobs.
Gadkari stated, “Despite this, the Indian government has given special importance to both alternative fuel and biofuel, in the G20, we made sure about the global biofuel alliance, we have also decided and have set a target that by 2070 we will have net 0 emissions. Till then we will go and I am happy that we have experimented with different types of alternative fuel”.
In light of this, Gadkari underscored the Indian government’s commitment to fostering alternative fuel and biofuel solutions. He highlighted India’s participation in the global biofuel alliance, the G20, setting a target for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
The minister expressed satisfaction with ongoing experiments involving various alternative fuels, demonstrating the government’s dedication to sustainable mobility and environmental responsibility.
As the nation grapples with the dual challenge of economic growth and environmental preservation, Gadkari’s address signalled a decisive move towards a greener and more sustainable future for India’s transportation sector. (ANI)