Overview

• Speaking at FICCI’s Higher Education Summit, Nitin Gadkari said electric vehicles would cost about the same as petrol models in the next four to six months.
• He cited annual fuel import spending of roughly ₹22 lakh crore as a key reason to speed the shift to cleaner transport.
• Gadkari said farmers have gained about ₹45,000 crore by producing ethanol from corn, linking biofuels to rural incomes and energy security.
• He stated the auto industry’s value has grown from ₹14 lakh crore when he took office to ₹22 lakh crore now, and set a five-year goal to make it the world’s largest.
• The minister referenced ongoing initiatives including hydrogen truck trials and a plan to use segregated solid waste in road construction by 2027.