Gadkari urges IITians to focus their research on use of bio-tech

Mumbai: With the country moving towards clean fuels, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday urged IITians to focus their research on the use of biotechnology for the production of bio-CNG, bio-LNG and green hydrogen from biomass.

Green hydrogen will be used in various industries like chemicals, fertilizers, and also in the transportation sector in the future, Gadkari said, urging the young engineering man-power of the country to do research on manufacturing green hydrogen from electrolysis of sewage water and bio-digestion of organic wastes.

This will also help municipalities of the country in implementing the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' along with value-addition in the form of waste to wealth, the minister said while speaking at Alankar-2022, a global leadership summit organised by Shailesh J Mehta School of Management in IIT Bombay.

"We require prioritising needs-based research... research should come up with import substitute, cost-effective, pollution free, indigenous solutions. We need to identify the commodities being imported into the country and then focus on developing 'Swadeshi' alternatives for those. This will lead to a decrease in imports, increase in exports and making our economy stronger," the minister said.

Proven technology, economic viability, availability of raw materials and marketability should be considered for all research projects, Gadkari added.

The minister also said 65 per cent of the country's population depends on agriculture, though agriculture GDP is only 12 per cent.

He urged the IITians to focus on research for forest-based industries, agriculture and rural technology, and tribal sectors in those districts.