KADAPA : A State-level bio-diesel board should be constituted to monitor and expedite promotion of bio-diesel plantations under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said S. Subbarami Reddy, president of a Proddatur-based NGO Spandana, on Friday. A comprehensive promotional policy on bio-diesel plantations should be evolved, he said in a representation sent to the Chief Minister.

He welcomed Dr. Reddy's initiative to promote pungamia, a native sturdy species with established characteristics over that of jatropha, which has an inconsistent record of growth.

`Little progress'

Raising of multi-faceted pungamia plantations would help uplift the sagging rural economy and improve ecology, Mr. Reddy said. Grafting would reduce the long gestation period of pungamia by reducing its fruition period to two years and know-how could be secured from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Mr. Subbarami Reddy suggested. Although the Chief Minister ambitiously launched bio-diesel plantation programme, little progress was achieved due to lack of firm commitment on the part of implementing mechanism and as a result two seasons had elapsed, he lamented.

Demand from oil companies for ethanol-doped petrol was rising and hence ethanol manufactured from sweet corn should be included in the programme, Mr. Subbarami Reddy said.

Oil crushing units must be promoted in rural areas linking them with Khadi and Village Industries Commission, khadi promotion schemes in addition to State incentives to generate employment among the educated unemployed, he said.

He suggested framing of policy guidelines for oil companies and major consumers in public and private sectors to promote large-scale contract farming by providing access to land and consumption of oil produced in the State.

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