New Delhi: Even though the government has pushed for adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and use of alternative fuels like ethanol, bio-LNG, green hydrogen, it will not stop the registration of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, road transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday.
Addressing an event organized virtually by industry body Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Gadkari said the government is also trying to encourage the use of 50 per cent ethanol in aviation fuel.
“We are encouraging electric vehicles and (use) of alternative fuels like ethanol, bio-LNG, green hydrogen,” the minister said, according to news agency PTI.
Emphasizing that EV sales have increased as people are responding well, Gadkari said, “I think we don’t need to make anything (ICE vehicles) mandatory.”
The minister also informed that 250 startups are working on e-vehicles which will help in reducing the cost of EVs. Describing green hydrogen as the future, he said, “I am going to buy a car next month, which will run on hydrogen.”
Noting that India is becoming the largest EV market for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars, Gadkari said, “In the next 5 years, there are plans to develop wayside facilities at 600 locations, all of which would be essential for EV charging infrastructure. “
Gadkari also said that reducing logistics cost to less than 10 per cent of GDP is top of the agenda, hence the government is developing integrated inland waterways, air connectivity and road networks on a large scale.
“We should all be aligned with the commitment made by our honorable Prime Minister at the recent COP-26 summit to achieve the goal of a net-zero emissions or carbon-neutral country by the year 2070,” he said. .
The minister also said that infrastructure development will play an important role in fulfilling India’s vision of becoming a $5 trillion economy in the next five years.
He said the government has given a big push to the economy by allocating around Rs 111 lakh crore through the national infrastructure pipeline to invest by 2025, where as per PTI Rs 20 lakh crore has been allocated for the road infrastructure sector. went.
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