Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Warns of Fossil Fuel Risks, Urges Green Energy Transition Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday highlighted the economic and environmental challenges posed by India’s heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports, emphasizing the urgent need to transition toward alternative and indigenous energy sources. Speaking at an international AI conference on climate resilience, green innovation, and sustainable development in Nagpur, Gadkari noted that India spends nearly Rs22 lakh crore annually on importing fossil fuels, a burden that strains the economy while exacerbating pollution. He stressed that achieving the vision of an "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) requires a significant reduction in fossil fuel dependence. Gadkari, who described India as the fastest-growing economy in the world, argued that future growth must be rooted in "ethics, economy, ecology, and environment." He underscored that sustainable development cannot be achieved without protecting natural resources and adopting region-specific solutions. The minister also criticized the lack of coordination between universities, research organizations, and local communities, calling it the "biggest challenge" in addressing practical problems. He urged academic institutions to contribute directly to socioeconomic development and called for performance audits of educational institutions to assess their societal impact. Gadkari emphasized the potential of biofuels such as ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, and bio-CNG as cost-effective, pollution-free alternatives. He highlighted the opportunity to convert agricultural waste like rice straw into bio-CNG, which could mitigate pollution from stubble burning while generating economic value.#butibori #union_minister_nitin_gadkari #international_ai_conference #mahindra_group #atmanirbhar_bharat
