Gadkari challenges critics to show damaged vehicles from ethanol blend

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has challenged critics of India’s ethanol blending programme to provide evidence of vehicle damage, speaking at the Bihar Investor Summit 2026. "I challenge anybody to come up with the complaint that his or her vehicle has suffered damage on this account," Gadkari said, adding that those with vested interests might have a different narrative. He noted that around 4 crore four-wheelers and 20 crore two-wheelers have been running on ethanol-blended petrol since 2022, with no complaints received from leading automobile brands that tested vehicles on 100% ethanol.

Gadkari defended the policy as a dual initiative to reduce dependence on imported conventional fuel and create a new market for agricultural produce. He highlighted that India imports fuel worth Rs 22 lakh crore, a burden the blending programme aims to alleviate. The minister framed the policy as an agricultural diversification effort, stating that farmers are transitioning from being 'anna data' (food producers) to 'urja data' (energy producers). He cited corn-based ethanol production as a key driver, reporting additional earnings of up to Rs 45,000 crore for farmers in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The minister also pointed to broader alternative fuel innovations, including the production of aviation fuel from rice straw. He emphasized that such initiatives expand the economic use of agricultural resources beyond food. Turning to Bihar’s specific potential, Gadkari highlighted sectors like tourism and the international demand for makhana. He praised Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary’s leadership, stating the state is bound to scale new heights. Choudhary, in turn, appealed to investors to set up businesses in Bihar, promising access to a large market provided products meet required standards.

What to watch: Further expansion of ethanol blending targets and farmer income impacts.

Editor's note: The draft effectively synthesizes the minister's statements, the context of the summit, and the specific claims regarding ethanol and agricultural impact.