Nagpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping launched India's first ethanol-run bus in Nagpur on a pilot basis.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that a bill to make provision for running vehicles on bio-fuels and hybrid electric would be tabled in the Parliament in the next session.
“The Centre would provide 200-500 ethanol-run buses to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) under the 'Green Bus' project,” Gadkari said.
Gadkari also said that the country can reduce petrol, diesel and gas imports by at least Rs two lakh crore annually by using alternative fuels.
“The country imports petrol, diesel and gas worth over Rs six lakh crore every year. India can reduce the imports by at least Rs two lakh crore by using alternative fuels. Ethanol-run bus project is the first initiative in this direction,” he said.
"Four states-- Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu-- will be the major beneficiaries from the project as they produce ethanol in large quantities," he added.
The green fuel also conserves environment by reducing pollution, he said.
