Karnataka Minister Blames Nitin Gadkari for Ethanol Controversy

Bengaluru, November 10 (Daily Kiran) : Karnataka’s Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, M.B. Patil, has pointed fingers at Union Minister Nitin Gadkari over the ongoing ethanol controversy. Speaking on Tuesday, Patil accused the central government of promoting excessive ethanol production without adequate procurement measures in place. He called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

The mandatory policy in India to blend 20% ethanol with petrol (E20) has sparked significant political and consumer backlash. The Karnataka government claims that fuel samples have shown ethanol levels exceeding 30%, a statement that central oil marketing companies have vehemently denied.

In a media interaction, Patil asserted that the central government’s push for high ethanol blending has created numerous complications. He specifically held Gadkari responsible for the situation and criticized Union Minister Prahlad Joshi for defending the central policy.

To better understand the ground realities, Patil suggested consulting sugar mill operators, including BJP leaders Murugesh Nirani and Prabhakar Kore. He raised questions about the central government’s skepticism regarding test results from its own laboratories when petrol samples were sent for analysis.

Patil noted that sugar mills are now overstocked with ethanol, a problem that is not only prevalent in Karnataka but also in Maharashtra, while the situation in Uttar Pradesh appears more stable.

According to Patil, while the central government has significantly encouraged ethanol production, it has failed to ensure sufficient procurement. He argued that the government should have initially implemented the ethanol blending program as a pilot project in four or five districts to assess its pros and cons before a nationwide rollout. Instead, he claimed Gadkari abruptly enforced this blending system, leading to the current difficulties.

On another note, Patil announced that the Karnataka government has developed a comprehensive aviation policy to promote civil aviation in the state. This policy will be presented at the next cabinet meeting and includes aspects such as financial support, viability gap funding, and efficient operation of state-run airports. He expressed confidence that this policy could serve as a model for the entire country.

Responding to queries about the suspension of flight services at Shivamogga Airport, Patil attributed the issue to shortcomings in the central government’s UDAN-2 scheme. He criticized the central government for privatizing Mangaluru Airport to the Adani Group and moving towards the privatization of Hubli Airport. He mentioned that Karnataka has invested ₹1,000 crores in Kalaburagi Airport, which was handed over to the center without receiving any compensation in return.

Patil revealed that the state government had proposed extending the UDAN scheme from three to five years, suggesting a shared operational cost between the center and state. However, this proposal was rejected, resulting in the closure of 17 airports across the country.

Instead of spending thousands of crores on building and handing over airports to the central government, the state has decided to operate Shivamogga, Raichur, and Vijayapura airports independently. Flight services at Kalaburagi Airport have been resumed, with 80% of the funding provided by the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) and the remaining 20% from the state government.

Challenging Shivamogga MP B.Y. Raghavendra, Patil stated that if Raghavendra has the capability, he should arrange similar financial support for the Shivamogga Airport instead of blaming the state government.