Presidents take on Jatropha

Jatropha – Biofuel: Government has decided to permit mixing of 10% bio-fuel with diesel. Southern Railway is using 100% bio-fuel for running heavy vehicles like trucks, cranes, forklifts, jeeps and tractors. This has opened up new opportunities for employment and wealth generation in the rural sector. The study team of VIT can determine the waste land available in the 15 villages and suggest plantation of Jatropha in the waste land which can grow with very little input. Once grown the crop has a fifty years of life. Fruiting can take place in this plant in less than two years.It yields oil seeds up to 15 tonnes per hectares per year and produces two tonnes of bio-diesel. Presently, the cost of bio-diesel through the plant is approximately Rs. 17 to Rs. 19 per litre, which can be substantially reduced through choice of right size of the plant and using high yield variety plantation. This is a sustainable development process leading to large scale employment of villagers of this 20 villages. More over, use of Bio-fuel is carbon neutral. This oil can also be used for soap and candle industries. De-oiled cake is a raw material for composting. Also Jatropha plantation provides a good environment for honey production. The Jatropha farmers can also create honey farms in these villages. I would request the engineering students and management students assembled here to take the initiative and work with TNAU on this project and promote enterprises with financial support from the banks in rural areas.
THIS IS PART OF THE ADDRESS AT THE INAUGURATION OF CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH STUDIES AT VELLORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, VELLORE >CLICK HERE TO GO THERE