Chhattisgarh CM seeks central nod to convert surplus paddy into ethanol

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel called on Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday and urged him to grant permission for the production of bio-ethanol from surplus paddy purchased from farmers in the state.

He also demanded increase in the quota of kerosene oil for dwellers in forest areas.

During the meeting, the chief minister said that 80.38 lakh metric tons of paddy was purchased in the Kharif marketing year 2018-19 in Chhattisgarh and 83.94 lakh metric tons of paddy in 2019-20, resulting in surplus production of rice which exceeded the required quantity of central pool of rice and the state pool under the public distribution system.

The state was forced to take additional quantity of rice by milling surplus paddy, he said.

Baghel informed the Union minister that the state government has made necessary provisions in the Chhattisgarh's industrial policy 2019-24 for setting up ethanol plants.

Chhattisgarh has requested permission to produce ethanol from about 6 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, an official statement said.

Baghel demanded permission for producing bio-ethanol from surplus paddy purchased from farmers in the state in addition to FCI.

The chief minister informed that an estimated 6 lakh tonnes of surplus paddy will be made available by the state government to ethanol plants.

The chief minister drew the Union minister's attention towards more requirement of more kerosene oil by dwellers in forest areas and requested him to increase the quota of kerosene.