India’s ethanol initiative is proving transformative, driving economic growth for farmers, generating employment, conserving foreign exchange, and contributing to environmental sustainability, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.
Puri stated that the country’s ethanol program has boosted farmers’ incomes by Rs. 1,07,580 crore and helped save Rs. 1,26,210 crore in foreign exchange by reducing the need for crude oil imports.
The Minister emphasized that the ethanol push supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming ‘annadatas’ (food providers) into ‘urjadatas’ (energy providers).
“This initiative not only increases farmers’ income and creates jobs, but also helps save foreign exchange and is a boon for the environment,” Puri noted in a post on social media platform X.
पर्यावरण और हमारी आर्थिक उन्नति के बीच बेहतर तालमेल को दर्शाती ये तस्वीरें Assam Bio-Ethanol Plant की हैं, जहां 'ग्रीन गोल्ड' यानि बांस से इथेनॉल का उत्पादन होने जा रहा है।
49 KTPA उत्पादन क्षमता वाली इस bio refinery से 30,000 ग्रामीण परिवारों के जीवन में नया सूर्योदय होगा। यह… pic.twitter.com/fhDVgLFjFn
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) April 24, 2025
As part of this green energy shift, a bamboo-based bio-ethanol refinery nearing completion in Assam is expected to significantly benefit the northeastern region.
The plant, with a capacity to produce 49 KTPA, will utilize bamboo, often referred to as ‘green gold’, as a feedstock. This project is set to improve the livelihoods of approximately 30,000 rural families across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Nagaland.
Sharing images of the facility, Puri described it as a symbol of sustainable progress that combines economic advancement with environmental responsibility.
“These pictures, depicting the better coordination between the environment and our economic progress, are of Assam Bio-Ethanol Plant, where ethanol is going to be produced from ‘Green Gold’ i.e. bamboo.,” he added.
According to reports, Prime Minister Modi is likely to inaugurate the facility in September this year.
