Wastelands to Bio-Diesel Farms: An Indian State’s Answer to Diesel Fuel Shortage

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Worried and uncertain about meeting its energy requirements in the near future, the Indian agricultural state of Uttar Pradesh is now taking to bio-fueling itself! The state government has just released a plan to turn wastelands throughout the state into bio-diesel farms by cultivating Jatropha on over 40 per cent of the total wasteland. Also, and contrary to the state policies so far, the wasteland will not be taken over by the government and instead farmers will be allotted land and will be provided with necessary technical assistance to facilitate a good crop.

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To successfully implement the Wastelands to Bio-Diesel Farms plan, the Uttar Pradesh state government has said to have formed a joint venture of the State Jatropha Mission Cellwith Bharat Petroleum Ltd. in the name of Bharat Renewable Energy Ltd (BREL), which will invest Rs. 2,031 crores in 30 districts of the state towards bio-diesel production. The latter will be responsible for production, procurement, cultivation, plantation of horticulture crops such as Jatropha, Pongamia, trading research and development and management of all crops and plantation including biofuels in Uttar Pradesh.

The state has set a target to bring at least 40 per cent of the total declared wasteland in th state under Jatropha cultivation in the next five years. With increasing mechanization of the farming practise in the state and launching of various programs to improve agricultural practises, the total energy demand for the state has only been on the rise. Bio-fuel is thus seen as a solution to meet this growing energy requirement so as to maintain and enhance the food supply.

This will indeed be a boost in the new and renewables energy sector as well though sceptics warn of a possible backlash of promoting energy cropping in any form, especially in a rapidly developing economy such as India.

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