CG’s demand to increase kerosene quota approved
| Date :18-Nov-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
Raipur,
CM urges to produce bio-ethanol from surplus paddy purchased from farmers of State
Union Minister of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan accepted Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s demand to increase the quota of kerosene in forest region of Chhattisgarh during their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. Baghel urged him to give permission for production of bio-ethanol from surplus paddy purchased from the farmers of State in addition to FCI.
During the meeting, Baghel said that nearly, 80.38 lakh metric tonnne of paddy was procured in the Kharif marketing year 2018-19 in Chhattisgarh and 83.94 lakh metric tonne of paddy in 2019-20, which resulted in surplus production of rice, thus exceeding the required quantity of rice for the central pool and State pool under the Public Distribution System. State was forced to take additional quantity of rice by milling surplus paddy. He informed the Union Minister that State Government has made necessary provisions in Chhattisgarh’s Industrial policy 2019-24 for setting up ethanol plants.
Chhattisgarh has requested for permission to produce ethanol from about 6 lakh metric tonne of paddy. Baghel demanded permission for producing bio-ethanol from surplus paddy purchased from farmers in State, in addition to FCI. Chief Minister informed that an estimated 6 lakh tonne of surplus paddy will be made available by State Government to ethanol plants for production. Baghel drew Union Minister’s attention towards the requirement of more kerosene oil in forest areas and requested him to increase the quota of kerosene. Union Minister directed the officials for immediate action in the context. Union Minister gave assurances to fulfill the demands of Baghel with due consideration.