New Delhi [India], April 22 (ANI): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday called for a transformative shift in the agricultural sector, urging that farmers transition from 'Annadata' (food providers) to 'Urjadata' (energy providers), emphasising their pivotal roles in India's future energy ecosystem.

Speaking at the 'Save the Earth Conclave' organised in New Delhi to celebrate World Earth Day 2025, Nitin Gadkari said, 'To stop the import of petroleum worth Rs 22 lakh crore, the 'Annadata' must now become 'Urjadata'. By protecting the environment and strengthening the economy, I firmly believe that in the next five years, our energy-importing country will definitely become an energy-exporting nation.'

The minister underlined the importance of promoting alternative energy sources such as biofuels, ethanol, and green hydrogen sectors, which he believes farmers can play a key role in.

'By producing ethanol and other green fuels from agricultural waste and surplus crops, farmers can contribute not only to the national economy but also to the preservation of the environment,' he added.

In his inaugural address, Gadkari noted that urban migration is depriving rural areas of development, while global market forces dictate agricultural prices.

'Due to the increasing migration to cities, rural areas are facing deprivation. Agriculture has become global, and local farm produce prices are determined by global markets. The country's largest expenditure is on petroleum imports, amounting to 22 lakh crore. This expenditure must be permanently stopped, and I want to put 10 lakh crore of it into farmers' pockets. This will increase agriculture's GDP to 23 per cent, boosting purchasing power,' he said.

'A major project has been undertaken in Delhi and surrounding states to generate energy from burning parthenium, halting its use as waste. This is an effort to create wealth from waste. The government has recognised bamboo as a grass. Now, bamboo will become a major tool for both environmental protection and energy production,' he said.

Gadkari further stated that producing white charcoal from bamboo has the potential to revolutionise the energy sector.

He said, 'The demand for thermal power plants is so high that even if thousands or even crores of farmers come together, it may not meet the coal requirements of these plants.'

He stressed the need to transform farmers from 'Annadata' to 'Urjadata'. Alongside environmental protection, producing hydrogen from bamboo should be prioritised to boost economic growth.

He expressed confidence that in the next five years, India's automobile industry will become the world's number one and that, through these initiatives, India will transition from an energy-importing to an energy-exporting nation.

'Green hydrogen is the future of India, and it will truly shape India as a global leader and a super economy,' Gadkari asserted.

He added that while eyes can be donated for sight, vision cannot be donated. India needs to develop a bamboo economy on the lines of China, which will provide significant employment opportunities for the poor and labourers in rural India.

Nitin Gadkari praised Pasha Patel, Chairman of the Agricultural Prices Commission, also known as 'Bambu Man', for dedicating 50 years to agriculture and farmers, stating that through this program on environmental protection and alternative fuels, the country is being given a new direction.

At the event, Pasha Patel explained the crisis of climate change, emphasised that there is no alternative to bamboo cultivation to save the planet, and urged everyone to plant bamboo to protect the Earth.

Former Minister Suresh Prabhu also spoke at the event and highlighted that even after the IPCC report, little effort has been made globally to address the climate change crisis. He poignantly stated that the Earth, crying out due to the climate crisis, is now weeping.

This year's Earth Day, April 22, was observed with a special program on the topic 'Save the Earth Conclave--Special Focus on Bamboo Sector' at Delhi's Subramaniam Auditorium.

The one-day symposium deliberated on environmental sustainability and policy action.

Th event was hosted by Phoenix Foundation, Lodga (Latur, Maharashtra), and Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture, New Delhi, in collaboration with prestigious institutions like Bharti Institute of Public Policy - Indian School of Business, African-Asian Rural Development Organization, New Delhi, and The Foundation for MSME Clusters, New Delhi.

Present on the dais were former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu, AARDO Secretary-General Manoj Nardeo Singh, Mama Tikade Refinery Managing Director Bhaskar Phukan, Food and Agriculture Organisation's India representative Takayuki Hagiwara, ISB Research Director Dr Anjali Prakash, and Pasha Patel, Executive Chairman of the Maharashtra State Chief Minister's Environment Balanced Task Force. (ANI)