Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari has said that the government is working towards achieving increased income for farmers by lowering costs, and creating job opportunities in rural India. 

Launching India’s first-ever diesel tractor converted to CNG, in Delhi today in the presence of Union Ministers Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Shri Parshottam Rupala and Gen (Retd) Dr V K Singh, Shri Gadkari said, the most important benefit for the farmer will be to save more than one lakh rupees annually on fuel costs, which will help them to improve their livelihood.

The Minister said, CNG is a Clean Fuel, as it has the lowest content of carbon and other pollutants. It is economical as it has zero lead and is non-corrosive, non-dilutive and non-contaminating which helps in increasing the life of the engine and it requires less regular maintenance. It is cheaper as CNG prices are far more consistent than fluctuating Petrol prices; also the average mileage of CNG vehicles is better than that of Diesel/Petrol driven vehicles.

It is safer as CNG tanks come with a tight seal, which reduces the possibility of explosion while refuelling or in the event of a spill. Shri Gadkari said it is also part of Waste to Wealth movement, as stubble (Parali) can be used as a raw material for producing Bio-CNG which will help the farmers to earn more.

Replying to questions on when CNG-run tractors will be available in India, the Minister said the diesel-converted CNG tractor, done jointly by Rawmatt Techno Solutions and Tomasetto Achille India, is currently an experimental pilot project, and this would happen in due course.