Bihar CM inaugurates country's first Greenfield grain-based ethanol production plant near Purnia

PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Saturday inaugurated the country’s first greenfield grain-based ethanol plant at Ganeshpur near Parora in Purnia district and said ethanol production would not only help reduce the cost of petrol but also generate fresh employment opportunities in the state.
The Rs 105-crore plant by a private investor is the first one developed since the Union government gave its approval to the Bihar government’s ethanol production and promotion policy-2021.
The new plant, set-up with latest technology using zero waste discharge, has been built on a plot of 15 acres. It would buy 130 tons of rice husk and around 145-150 tons of maize or rice from farmers every day, an industries department official said here on Saturday.
After inaugurating the plant, Nitish -- accompanied by the industries minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, food and consumer protection minister Leshi Singh and Purnia MP Santosh Kushwaha-- visited different parts of the plant's premises. The CM also inquired about the employment generation and the benefits the farmers would be getting from the ethanol production plant.
Speaking on the occasion, Nitish said, “Today, we have started a new ethanol plant here. It is a matter of great happiness that ethanol production has started from this plant. In fact, the Bihar government had been trying this since 2007. We had sent a proposal to the then UPA government. But they did not accept our proposal. Now, the Centre has approved our proposal.”
Nitish also said earlier only 10 percent ethanol was permitted to be mixed with petrol. Now, 20 percent ethanol can be mixed. The mixing of ethanol would benefit the country. This ethanol plant would also benefit the maize farmers of the neighbouring areas, the CM said.