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Nitin Gadkari: Futuristic Tech, Vision Crucial for Agri Growth & Rural Prosperity
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News18•22-09-2026, 17:45
Nitin Gadkari: Futuristic Tech, Vision Crucial for Agri Growth & Rural Prosperity
- •Union Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized that futuristic technology and vision are essential to transform agriculture into an economically viable sector and boost rural prosperity.
- •Gadkari urged sugar mills to diversify into by-products like compressed bio-gas (CBG), ethanol, bio-manure, and sustainable aviation fuel, as standalone sugar production is no longer viable.
- •He highlighted that India imports fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore and converting agricultural waste into CBG can significantly reduce this dependency.
- •The Minister noted that India's sugar overproduction depresses prices, and by-product utilization can increase sugarcane payments to farmers from Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 per tonne.
- •Gadkari pointed out the massive potential of CBG production from agricultural residues, with 1,908 CBG plants registered and a government mandate for procurement, capable of injecting Rs 2.5 lakh crore into the rural economy and creating 15 lakh jobs.
Key Questions Answered
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that standalone sugar production is no longer economically viable due to global market dynamics, higher domestic production costs, and depressed domestic prices driven by surplus production.
Nitin Gadkari urged sugar mills to aggressively pivot toward value-added by-products such as compressed bio-gas (CBG), ethanol, bio-manure, and sustainable aviation fuel to secure their future and increase returns to farmers.
According to the report, a total of 1,908 compressed bio-gas (CBG) plants have been registered across the country, with 132 already operational.
