Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to give permission to set up a 2G ethanol refinery in the state.
Amit Shah is also Chairman of the Central Region Inter-State Council which is made up of Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.
In his letter, Baghel sought permission for setting up a commercial and a demonstration project through oil marketing companies for the production of ethanol in the state.
Ethanol will be prepared from the residue of paddy crop. Apart from it, approval will be granted to establish a 2G (second generation) ethanol refinery, an official communication said.
Citing the meeting of the Inter-State Council held on August 22, Baghel said the Union government was promoting the bioethanol production under the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana (Biofuel-Environmental Residue Redressal) for the prevention of crop residues.
Under it, a request was made for setting up a refinery by the oil marketing company of the Indian government for lignocellulosic biomass-based bioethanol production, he said.
He said that Chhattisgarh's estimated annual production of agriculture crops especially paddy is 137 lakh tonnes (Kharif marketing year 2022-23).
All favourable environment prevails for the execution of biomass derived 2G lignocellulosic biomass-based bioethanol production, he said.
He said a strategic partnership can be done through Gauthans and the state’s urban bodies to provide lignocellulosic biomass through backward linkage.
It would help minimize environmental pollution caused by burning of agricultural residues and ensure better solid waste management in urban areas.