Rs. 500 crore plant to produce ethanol from crop residue

Union Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday announced a new plant to produce ethanol to be set up in Bathinda with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.

The minister said that the foundation stone of the plant will be laid in the next 15 days.

Mr Pradhan, while addressing gathering in Ludhiana, said this plant will convert the paddy residue into ethanol and said that this will not only provide an additional income to the farmers but also save the State from the pollution created by the stubble burning.

Mr Pradhan, who was on a day-long tour in Punjab, said that he would himself lay the foundation stone of the plant.

Speaking on this occasion, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal said the plant at a cost of Rs 500 crore which would be established at Bathinda with assistance with the Union ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, would make bio-fuel from the residue of paddy crop.

Terming it as a remarkable initiative, Mr Badal said that this would put a stop to the burning of paddy which in turn would lead to reduction of pollution level in the environment.

Divulging more, he said that the stress would be on establishing these plants in every district in league with the private players and the modalities would be worked out soon.

He also said that this unique measure would also result in the farmers getting richer by Rs 3,000-4,000 per acre.

The Union Minister on this occasion, symbolically distributed free LPG connections to 12 women belonging to BPL and SC / ST families.

- PTI