Nitin Gadkari unveils India's first-ever economical & environment-friendly CNG tractor

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on February 12 launched India’s first-ever diesel tractor converted to CNG, with an emphasis that it will annually save more than Rs 1 lakh on fuel cost for farmers. “It will help them to improve their livelihood,” Gadkari said at the launch, according to an ANI report. Stressing that the CNG is a clean fuel that will help reduce the carbon footprint, India’s transport and Highways Minister said, “Government is working towards achieving increased income for farmers by lowering costs and creating job opportunities in rural India.” Further, he added, “The most important benefit for the farmers by this tractor will be to save more than one lakh rupees annually on fuel costs, which will help them to improve their livelihood.” 

Citing the economic benefits of the CNG tractors, Gadkari said that CNG is a “clean fuel, as it has the lowest content of carbon and other pollutants,” adding that the energy is zero lead and is non-corrosive, non-dilutive, and non-contaminating. “This helps in increasing the life of the engine and it requires less regular maintenance,” Gadkari said. He further highlighted the safety aspect of the CNG tractors, saying that the tanks were fitted with a tight seal, which reduced the chances of explosion while refuelling or in event of a spill. "It is also part of Waste to Wealth movement, as stubble (Parali) can be used as a raw material for producing Bio-CNG which will help the farmers to earn more,” he said. Furthermore, the transport minister informed that the diesel-converted CNG tractor was co-jointly manufactured by Rawmatt Techno Solutions and Tomasetto Achille India, and was under the pilot project, currently. 

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India's commitment to COP 21

Meanwhile, hailing the efficient shift to cleaner energy, the  Union Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan said, “Energy consumption is going to increase in the country and the renewable energy sources will play an important role in this.” He added, “PNG and CNG supply will reach 85-90 percent of the population in a few years.” He further stressed that the use of CNG tractors will help India meet its commitment to COP 21, and to achieve this, the government will set up at least  5,000 CBG plants under its ambitious SATAT program. An estimated 600 million metric tonnes of biomass is generated by farms, forests, and cities which will be utilized for the same. Pradhan also informed that India will soon begin outlets that will sell CBG and 8.5 percent ethanol blending in petrol, which will push the country at the top position in ethanol blending.  The launch of the CNG tractor was attended by the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Minister  Dharmendra Pradhan, Parshottam Rupala, and General (Retd) Dr V K Singh. 

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