Nagpur:

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari wants to slash the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on hybrid vehicles as part of India’s green economy ambitions and vowed to completely phase out over Rs 36 crore of petrol and petrol in India. Diesel cars.

Asked whether it was possible for India to completely phase out petrol and diesel vehicles, Mr Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, said: “One hundred per cent”.

“It is difficult but not impossible. This is my vision,” Gadkari told PTI News in an interview.

He said India spent Rs 1,600 crore on fuel imports. This money will be used to improve farmers’ lives, village prosperity, and youth employment.

Mr Gadkari has not given any timetable for achieving the ambitious goal, which even green energy supporters consider extremely difficult.

Gadkari said the proposal to reduce the GST on hybrid vehicles to 5% and on flexible engines to 12% has been submitted to the finance ministry, which is considering the application.

The minister said he firmly believed the country could end fuel imports by promoting the use of biofuels.

Environmental campaigners have welcomed Mr Gadkari’s vision for increased green travel but have also issued warnings by labeling the use of fossil fuels in electricity production.

“In India, we are still heavily dependent on fossil fuel-based energy systems to power electric vehicles and this needs to change. There is an urgent need to ensure 100% renewable energy along with electric vehicles to combat the climate crisis.” Greenpeace India organizing activist Avinash Chanchal told Press Trust of India (PTI).

Gadkari said he has been working on alternative fuels since 2004 and believes things will change in the next five to seven years.

“I can’t give a date and year when this transition happened because it’s very difficult. It’s difficult but not impossible,” Mr Gadkari asserted.

He said he firmly believes that given the pace at which electric vehicles are being rolled out, the coming era will be one of alternative energy and biofuels and that dream will come true.

Mr. Gadkari said automobile companies such as Bajaj, TVS and Hero are also planning to build motorcycles using flexible engines, and autorickshaws using similar technology are also under development.

“I drive around in a hydrogen-powered car. You can see electric cars in every home. People who once thought it was impossible have now changed their views and started believing what I have learned over the past 20 years That’s what I’ve been saying,” the minister said.

“Tatas and Ashok Leyland have launched trucks that run on hydrogen. There are also trucks that run on LNG/CNG. There are 350 bio-CNG plants across the country,” he said.

“There is no doubt that a revolution is taking place. Fuel importation will end and the country will become self-reliant – Atmanirbhar Bharat. I firmly believe in this,” Mr Gadkari said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)