Govt Encouraging Adoption Of EVs But No Question Of Doing Anything Forcible To Stop ICE Vehicles, Says Gadkari

Addressing virtually an event organised by industry body Indian Chamber of Commerce(ICC), Gadkari further said he is also trying to encourage use of 50 per cent ethanol in aviation fuel.

''We are encouraging (adoption of) electric vehicles (EVs), and (use) of alternative fuels like ethanol, bio-LNG, green hydrogen...(But) we are not going to stop anything (ICE vehicles),'' he said.

The road transport and highways minister noted that the sale of EVs has increased as people are giving good response.

''I feel that we don't need to make anything (ICE vehicles)mandatory,'' Gadkari added.

''We all must be aligned with the commitment made by our Hon'ble Prime Minister, recently at the COP-26 summit to achieve the target of net-zero emissions or a carbon-neutral country by the year 2070,'' he said.

The minister pointed out that Infrastructure development will play an important role in fulfilling the vision of India in becoming a 5 trillion dollar economy in the next 5 years. He pointed out that the government has given a massive push to the economy by allocating about Rs 111 lakh crore through the National Infrastructure Pipeline, to be invested until 2025 where Rs 20 lakh crore is allocated for the road infrastructure sector.

According to Gadkari, the Gati Shakti Master Plan will provide the framework for the NIP programme and is aimed at making Indian products more competitive by cutting down the logistics costs and improving the supply chains.

He said that his ministry is constructing 65,000 km of national highways under the Bharatmala Phase 1 and 2. ''We have a plan to develop around 35,000 km of highways under Bharatmala Phase-1 with an overall capital expenditure of over Rs 10 lakh crore. 20,000 km of this is already under construction,'' he said.