The Hindu Business Line : Call to adopt national bio-fuel policy

FOREIGN exchange worth Rs 20,000 crore could be saved if the National Policy on Bio Fuels is adopted. The policy, which envisages replacement of 10 per cent of the petroleum products requirement of the country with bio-fuels by 2012, was proposed by Dr S.K. Chopra, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES).

Inaugurating the seminar on `Energy forever: Bio Fuels' organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) here, Dr Chopra said petroleum products import would go up drastically by 2020 and therefore, called for immediate constitution of the policy.

Dr Chopra said that the National Bio Fuel Policy as well as Bio Fuel Development Board would shortly be set up specially after the Prime Minister himself has shown interest in their announcements following recommendations from MNES and the Planning Commission.

MNES is also proposing to undertake plantation of Jatropha in 4 lakh hectare degraded and non-degraded land to generate seeds, the extraction of which will produce a substantial quantity of bio fuels to meet the country's energy requirements. This will be a major step towards achieving energy security for the country, added Dr Chopra.

He said that as many as 12 varieties of plants in India could be grown to produce bio fuels. So far only the Jatropha plant has been exploited for the purpose. He informed that various research institutions were conducting serious tests for plantation of other oil bearing trees for which definite estimates wouldcome after the research work is completed.

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