Nagpur: The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform India’s automotive sector by phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles entirely. In an Interview with a news agency, Gadkari shared about his goals to reduce GST on hybrid vehicles and to eliminate all of India’s over 36 crore petrol and diesel vehicles.
When asked whether India can get rid of petrol and diesel cars entirely, Gadkari stated, “It is difficult but not impossible.” However, he did not provide a specific timeline for this significant transition.
In line with his green mobility agenda, Gadkari has proposed reducing GST on hybrid vehicles to 5% and on flex-fuel engines to 12%. This move aims to incentivize the adoption of eco-friendly vehicles and promote biofuels as viable alternatives to traditional fossil fuels.
Companies like Bajaj, TVS, and Hero are already exploring the production of motorcycles with flex engines. Environmental activists have welcomed Gadkari’s initiatives for green mobility but stress the need for a simultaneous shift towards renewable energy sources. They emphasize the importance of transitioning to 100% renewable energy to address the climate crisis effectively.
He also said, “I roam around in a car that runs on hydrogen. You can see electric cars in every other household. People who used to say this was impossible, have changed their views now and started believing in what I have been saying for the last 20 years. Tatas and Ashok Leyland have introduced trucks that run on hydrogen. There are trucks that run on LNG/CNG. There are 350 factories across the country of bio-CNG,” he said.
