New Delhi, May 25 (IANS). Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled ethanol-based indigenous cooking stove technology and said that food can be cooked on this indigenous stove at a lower cost than commercial LPG. Additionally, he also announced an initiative worth Rs 40 crore to promote interest in science among young Indians.
Speaking at an event in Nagpur, Gadkari said the new technology uses a mixture of ethanol and water to generate a flame suitable for cooking.
“Flame can be generated from the stove by mixing 7 per cent ethanol in water, and it is cheaper than cooking gas. It has been developed in our country,” the minister said.
The announcement is in line with Gadkari’s long-standing support for ethanol as a sustainable and affordable alternative to fossil fuels.
Over the past several years, he has consistently promoted the use of ethanol in various sectors, including transportation and energy, arguing that it can help reduce India’s dependence on imported crude oil, while also supporting domestic agriculture and clean energy goals.
India currently imports about 87 percent of its crude oil requirements, making energy security a major policy priority.
The government has aggressively increased ethanol blending in petrol, with the blending level increasing from 1.53 per cent in 2014 to 20 per cent in 2025.
Gadkari is considered one of the big supporters of the ethanol-blending programme.
The proposed ethanol based stove technology extends this approach to the domestic cooking sector, where millions of families still depend on LPG cylinders.
If successfully implemented and commercialized on a large scale, this innovation could provide a cheaper, locally developed alternative to conventional cooking gas, as well as further strengthen India’s clean energy ecosystem.
“As technology is evolving, we are also working on a Rs 40 crore project to inculcate love for science among youth and children,” Gadkari said.
–IANS
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