Indian Railways
has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Indian
Oil Corporation (IOC) for an important pilot project for production
of bio-diesel for railways. Under the agreement signed here
today in the presence of Railway Minister Shri Nitish Kumar,
Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Shri Ram Naik and the Ministers
of state from both the Ministries, Indian Railways will offer
500 hectares of compact land on lease to IOC for plantation
of Jatropha Curcas (Ratan Jyoth) which is likely to yield
500-800 metric tones of bio-diesel in two to three years time.
Speaking on the
occasion the Railway Minister Shri Nitish Kumar lauded the joint
initiative of Indian Railways and IOC as a major step towards
eco-friendly and cost effective bio-fuel for railways. He said
that it would be a mile-stone as the plantation of such trees
would prevent cattle astraying on railway tracks thus improving
safety. He further added that 18000 hectares of arid land that
railways had could well be utilized for plantation of Jatropha
Curcas. The Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Ram
Naik called it a second historic step in the petroleum sector,
the first being commencement of supply of ethenol blended petrol
introduced from January this year in the first phase. The Minister
hoped that other sectors like agriculture and rural development
would largely benefit out of this. He further said that initially
5% and later 10-20% of bio-diesel would be used by railways
as the plantation of Jatrpopha Carcus progressed. The Minister
of state for Rural Develoment Shri Annasahib Patil said that
the bio-diesel found expedient by
more than twenty two countries, would ultimately make India
self- reliant, reduce pollution and generate employment opportunities
in rural areas.
Railways have already
tested the bio-diesel fuel supplied by IOC at the RDSO lab at
Lucknow and the trial run on the diesel locomotives hauling
Shatadbi Express between New Delhi and Amritsar has also been
found successful. This milestone joint venture between railways
and IOC will not only pave the way for fuel self-sufficiency
but environmental protection also.
Plantation of Jatropha
on 500 hectares of land spread across Rajkot, Bhavnagar and
Jaipur will give about 800 tones of bio-diesel per year beginning
the third year of plantation. IOC will take up plantation, collection
of seed, extraction, trans-esterification, blending and testing
by out sourcing some or all of the activities. Storage/dispensing
facilities for the blended product will be arranged at the identified
diesel loco shed of railways.
As of now, the
estimated price of bio-diesel is Rs.11-12 per litre but the
final price of the fuel to be produced under this innovative
project will be decided through negotiation between railways
and IOC.
