PM inaugurates India’s first bamboo-based ethanol plant
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Science and Technology (Biofuels - 2G Ethanol); Environment (Clean Energy, Bamboo as a resource); Indian Economy (Energy Security, Government Policies); Geography (Location of major industries).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 3 (Economy, S&T, Environment): Infrastructure: Energy; Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation; Economics of animal-rearing (indirectly, as it boosts rural/farm economy). This is a perfect GS3 topic.
Key Highlights from the News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first bamboo-based ethanol plant at the Numaligarh Refinery in Golaghat, Assam.
This is a significant step towards achieving energy security and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
It is a "zero-waste" facility and will function as a biorefinery, producing other industrial products like acetic acid and furfural along with ethanol.
This plant provides a new income source for local farmers and tribal communities in Assam and other North-Eastern states through bamboo cultivation.
The central government's policy of removing bamboo from the definition of tree, making its cutting and transport easier, greatly supported this project.
This plant will significantly boost the Ethanol Blending Programme.
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