Pune: Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said ethanol has “saved sugarcane farmers and sugar factories in the state”. Gadkari was speaking at the tenth anniversary of Naam Foundation, an organisation started by actors Makarand Anaspure and Nana Patekar for watershed management and drought mitigation. At the event, he said, “It will be tough for the farmers to survive only by cultivating pulses or grains. The sugar industry could survive because of ethanol. Now, an alternative to diesel called isobutanol will be produced. We are also planning to develop sustainable aviation fuel using biogas.” The minister also said that sugar is in surplus in the country. Nearly 90% of sugar mills in western Maharashtra would have faced liquidation had there been no ethanol, he said. The production cost of sugar in Brazil is around Rs27 per kg, while the same in Maharashtra is around Rs32-33. Brazil introduces sugar at around Rs30 per kg in the international market, making it more difficult for us to sell our stock, incurring a loss of Rs2-3 per kg.“So, farmers will have to ensure that they become producers of not only food but also fuel, electricity, aviation, bitumen, and hydrogen. That will make villages rich,” said Gadkari. Use of corn for ethanol production, according to him, has helped give a better price to corn — up from Rs1,200 per quintal to Rs2,800 per quintal. Farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra have benefited from the increased production, said the minister, adding that production has also gone up by three times. This yield is taken thrice a year. Commenting on other issues, Gadkari said, better water supply management is needed in the country to improve the agricultural sector and lives of farmers. “Politics over usage of river water and river water distribution has created complications. There were around 23 disputes between states about river water distribution. The majority have been resolved,” he assured. Gadkari also said that if Maharashtra’s milk production goes up and irrigation increases by 65%, many agricultural issues will be resolved. In another programme on the same day, Gadkari was awarded by the Geeta Dharma Mandal organisation. While speaking here, he said new-age methods like videos or reels should be used to spread the message of life given by the Bhagavad Geeta. “It will help youngsters define the real meaning of life as well as politics and its purpose. We need to redefine politics. Instead of the politics of power, it should be more centred around social reforms. The issue in today’s political circles is not the difference of opinions, but the lack of opinions,” he said.
