Manufacture alternative fuels to counter rising prices: Gadkari

Panaji, Nov 2 (IANS) The only way to counter rising fuel prices was to end the country's dependency on imported fuel and to manufacture alternative fuels in India, Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

"The only solution is stop depending on imported fuel and manufacture alternative fuel in our country," he told a press conference in Panaji.

"We import 80 per cent fuel. I am introducing flex engines. Flex engine bikes and scooters. That means, you can use 100 per cent petrol or 100 per cent ethanol. Ethanol is Rs 65 per litre," he said.

Gadkari said this in response to a question about how the rising fuel prices could be combated.

The Minister also said that flex engines, which can adapt to both petrol and alternative fuels like ethanol, would be made mandatory in India in six months.

"Toyota company is launching vehicles with Euro 6 emission norms. We will make flex engines mandatory in six months. Use ethanol instead of petrol, it is cheaper," he said.