Nitin Gadkari slams 'paid' campaign against E20 fuel, calls it safe

New Delhi: Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday termed the social media campaign against E20 fuel as 'politically motivated and paid', saying it was designed to target him.

Addressing the 65th annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Gadkari said that automobile makers, SIAM, and even the Supreme Court had already cleared E20's safety and feasibility.

"E20 is an import substitute. It is cost-effective, pollution-free, and will boost the Indian economy," he said, adding that ethanol production can replace the ₹22 lakh crore worth of fossil fuels currently being imported and also benefit farmers. Gadkari also urged automobile manufacturers to offer additional discounts to buyers who present a scrappage certificate while purchasing new vehicles.


"I have requested PM Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to offer Goods and Services Tax (GST) relief to customers buying a new vehicle after scrapping their old one," he said, calling it a "win-win" measure.

At a separate event, Gadkari said the road transport ministry is working on a new toll policy to provide benefits to state and private bus operators using national highways.

The government has already introduced a FASTag-based annual pass for non-commercial vehicles, priced at ₹3,000, effective August 15. The pass is valid for one year from the date of activation or up to 200 trips, whichever comes first.