BHUBANESWAR: In the country's push for reducing air pollution level by supplying eco-friendly and low emission fuels, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan today launched the BS-IV grade fuel across the country from here.
Launching the programme on the occasion of Utkal Divas, Pradhan said the initiative is the beginning of a new era to bring down the pollution level. "Today we begin a new era clean transportation fuels that will benefit 1.25 bullion citizens of our country by substantially reducing pollution levels in the cities," Pradhan said.
The petroleum ministry is committee to providing sustainable, stable, clean and affordable energy as an essential input for theeconomic development of India which has emerged as the fastest growing economy in the world. The resounding success of initiatives like PaHaL, Give-it-Up and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana are ample proof of the effectiveness of these socio-economic welfare schemes that will go a long way in ensuring energy inclusion of the poor, he added.
The Union Minister also launched the programme in 12 different locations in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra through video links.
As the state government is at loggerhead with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) over the tax incentive to oil refinery project at Paradip, Pradhan once again appealed the state government to revolve the issue amicably through discussions.
Union Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas K D Tripathy said the ministry is taking necessary steps to optimise the energy mix to ensure that the fuels conform to the highest emission standards. Tripathy said an investment of Rs 90.000 crore is made by the state refiners to produce low emission fuels compliant to BS-VI emission norms by 2020.
Chairmen and managing directors of the three oil PSUs IOCL, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum and senior officers of the petroleum ministry also spoke on the occasion.