Jatropha pill for rising oil bill

LUCKNOW: With non-renewable fossil fuel reserves depleting, and prices spiralling, India is footing a whopping crude oil import bill of Rs 6,04,000 crore. India ranks sixth in terms of energy demand, accounting for 3.5 per cent of global demand.
Addressing a conference on ''Bio-diesel as bio-fuel: energy the world is converting to'' on Friday, minister for agriculture Ashok Bajpai said oil import was a major drain on funds that diverted money from development projects.
He emphasised that alternatives to this exorbitant, polluting fuel must be introduced. Jatropha seed oil is a suitable alternative for curbing escalating oil bill.
However, Bajpai said there must be suitable processing and marketing facilities for this agro-produce so that farmers are not stranded with jatropha without a market.
He added that just as it was mandatory for sugar mills to buy sugarcane, similar processing units should be set up for jatropha. Member, Committee on Development of Biofuel AP Dixit said that a ''National Mission'' on biofuel has to be started to revolutionise the industry. He agreed that to meet requirements of jatropha growers, an effective and remunerative market was essential.
He said Indian oil companies were already committed to purchasing jatropha from farmers and so far there has been a shortage in supply.
Railways which has experimented with jatropha as biofuel is a potentially large consumer. "If we talk of rural energy security jatropha is a good candidate. It can grow on sodic wasteland adding to the green cover. The plant starts yielding in 2-3 years and no maintenance is required for almost 40-50 years assuring income for UP''s farmer. However, the key to sustainability of biofuel is that it has to be cost viable for all, be it farmers, oil extractors, marketing agency or consumer," he said.
As the fuel is eco-friendly, it will meet emission norms. Incidentally, biodiesel and CNG cost is the same on a per-mile basis. However, unlike CNG, biodiesel can be poured into the fuel tank and expensive CNG conversions can be avoided. At this seminar organised by Centre of Bharatiya Marketing Development (CBMD), Om Prakash Singh minister of land resources said concept of jatropha-based biofuel must be taken to the grassroot level with dissemination of information and technology.
Manager CBMD, Hemant Misra and Irshad Mirza from Assocham reiterated the need for promoting it.