EV prices to match petrol vehicles within 6 months: Gadkari
What's the story
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has announced that the prices of electric vehicles (EVs) in India will match those of petrol-powered models within the next four to six months. The minister made this statement while addressing the 20th FICCI Higher Education Summit 2025. He stressed on India's heavy reliance on fossil fuels as an economic burden and environmental threat, making clean energy adoption vital for national progress.
Future goals
Gadkari's vision for India's automobile industry
Gadkari also shared his ambition to make India's automobile industry the world's number one in five years. He highlighted the growth of the Indian automobile industry since he took over as transport minister, from ₹14 lakh crore to ₹22 lakh crore. He compared this with the US and China's auto industries, which are worth ₹78 lakh crore and ₹47 lakh crore, respectively.
Ethanol impact
Minister's views on ethanol production and waste management
Gadkari pointed out that farmers have earned an additional ₹45,000 crore by producing ethanol from corn. He said, "We have initiated a program under which we aim to use the entire segregated solid waste in the country in road construction by 2027, thereby creating value from the waste." This shows how different sectors are contributing toward India's clean energy goals.
Educational focus
Need for practical education in higher learning institutions
The minister stressed need for futuristic vision for development with appropriate knowledge, saying India's strength lies in its young, talented, and skilled manpower. He urged higher education institutions to include successful innovative technologies in their curriculum and focus on practical application to strengthen future planning.