The issue of carbon emissions due to vehicles running on petrol and diesel, and the resultant pollution has become a growing concern today. Alternative fuels like ethanol, methanol, and other components can be used to address this, reducing both carbon emissions and the dependence on oil imports. The time has come to prioritize coal gasification and reconsider royalties. Moreover, if electricity is generated nearer to the mines, it would not only save transportation costs but would also increase the capacity for energy generation, said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Shri Gadkari was speaking at a symposium organized upon the topic ‘Coal Gasification,’ as part of the series of such concerning panel discussions being organized under the aegis of Advantage Vidarbha, which in turn is an Association for Industrial Development (AID) initiative. It is noteworthy that AID is a brainchild of Nitin Gadkari, formed with the objective of giving boost to business in Vidarbha. Along with Gadkari, other esteemed guests present on the speaker panel were Central Minister of State for Defense Shri Ajay Bhatt, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Vijaykumar Saraswat from NITI Aayog, Shri Amritlal Meena, Secretary – Central Ministry of Coal, and Chairman of Coal India Shri P.M. Prasad, Chairman of The Solar Group Shri Satyanarayan Nuwal, and Dr. Jitendra Sharma were present on the panel. Also present were Shri M.K. Singh and Shri Balasaheb Darade.
Shri Ajay Bhatt stated that India has moved from the 11th position to the 5th position in the world economy in the last 10 years. This is the Era of Innovation, where young people are getting numerous opportunities in science and technology to be implemented in defence sector. Modernization and Make in India are the focus of the central government.
Amritlal Meena clarified the Central Ministry’s stance on coal mining, stating that even though there has been a 14% increase in coal production, there is a need to import, to meet the present demand. For this, the government is offering mining areas with lower and substandard coal deposits on long-term leases to prioritize coal gasification. The government is also offering a 10% revenue subsidy on commercial coal.
As member of the NITI Aayog, Dr. Saraswat emphasized the need for a mission towards zero carbon, where per capita consumption of this fossil fuel should be reduced, and only then we can ensure success to this programme. He also expressed a hope that India can rather become an exporter of alternative fuels by preparing gas for domestic use, methanol, Ammonium Nitrate, and Carbon chemical gases from substandard coal deposits, thereby contributing to India’s development.