Firms urged to link up with panchayats

With the prices of crude oil soaring, the Union petroleum ministry is focusing on alternate sources of fuel. It is evaluating the scope for using jatropha to derive biodiesel.

Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Manishankar Aiyar has urged corporates to tie up with gram panchayats for cultivation of jatropha on a large scale.

"We currently import over 70 per cent of our oil needs and this could go up to 85 per cent in the next 20 years. We need to focus on biodiesel derived from jatropha. The money saved in the oil import bills can be put to use for the country's growth," Aiyar said.

He flagged off the country's first biodiesel bus, unveiled by the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC), in Gandhinagar on Saturday.

The development of biofuel from jatropha seeds is expected replace over 20 per cent of the country's diesel consumption, according to a committee on development of biofuel, which was constituted by the Planning Commission.

"Corporates engaged in production of biodiesel through jatropha seeds must approach to the common people for jatropha plantations. They must link up with gram panchayats for mass cultivation of the plant. This will reduce the price of biodiesel and make the project commercially viable," said Aiyar.

The first commercial production of bio-diesel as an alternative fuel derived from jatropha seeds has already started in Gujarat. The Ankleshwar-based Gujarat Oleo Chemicals (GOCL) has commenced commercial production of biodiesel and will provide biodiesel to GSRTC.

Earlier, the company has shipped its first commercial consignment of bio-diesel derived from jatropha seeds to Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), which was used in test trials for the Railways.

Jatropha cultivation could also provide employment in rural areas.