‘ I Am Not at All Short Of………….’ What Did Nitin Gadkari Said About Critics Of The Ethanol Policy?

Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India, Nitin Gadkari, attended an event organised by Agricos Welfare Society in Nagpur on Sunday, September 14, 2025. At the event, Mr Gadkari brushed aside the criticism against the government’s ethanol-blended petrol programme as politically motivated. He said, “My brain is worth Rs 200 crore a month. I am not at all short of money, and I don’t stoop low.”, as reported in the IANS. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Bamboo-based ethanol plant in Assam’s Golaghat district 

Mr Gadkari’s remarks regarding the government’s ethanol-blended petrol programme have been reported amidst the inauguration a Rs 5,000-crore bamboo-based ethanol plant at Numaligarh in Assam’s Golaghat district by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Narendra Modi inaugurated this plant at the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NFL) on September 14, 2025, Sunday. 
According to the officials, this plant is a ‘zero-waste’ facility, which will utilise all parts of the bamboo plant. The officials further said that this plant is expected to give a Rs 200-crore boost to the rural economy in the state. As per the officials, it will source 5 lakh tonnes of green bamboo from four northeastern states and benefit over 50,000 people directly and indirectly as reported in the PTI. 

‘The social media campaign was paid..’: Nitin Gadkari 

While speaking at the Society of Indian Automobiles Manufacturers (SIAM) Annual Convention, Nitin Gadkari called the E20 fuel as an import substitute that is cost effective, indigenous and decreases pollution. He added, “The way your industry works, so does politics. The social media campaign was paid; it was to target me politically. There is no fact in it; everything is clear.” 

Also read: Experiments of blending ethanol with diesel unsuccessful; new tests with Isobutanol on: Gadkari