Indian State Shoots for Biodiesel Self-Sufficiency

The state of Chhattisgarh in the east of India is striving to be the country’s first biofuel self-sufficient state by the year 2015. Of the 160 million jatropha saplings scheduled to be planted across all sixteen of its districts, half of those will be planted in wasteland areas. To encourage farmers to cultivate the hearty fuel crop, the government has decided to give away packages of up to 500 saplings to farmers. Last year, Chief Minister Raman Singh, a key promoter of the program, became the first official to use biodiesel in his government vehicle. The state of Chhattisgarh has ambitious plans to run all state owned vehicles on jatropha biodiesel by 2007. :: Green Car Congress and NewKerala. com (Image credit Daimler Chrysler)