India’s first-ever diesel tractor, converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), will be formally launched by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Friday. The conversion, carried out jointly by Rawmatt Techno Solutions and Tomasetto Achille India, will help farmers increase their income, by lowering costs, and help to create job opportunities in rural India.

Test reports indicate that the retrofitted tractor produces more or equal power in comparison to a diesel-run engine while the overall emissions are reduced by 70 per cent.
 
Farmers will also be able to save more than one lakh rupees annually on fuel costs as the current diesel price is Rs 77.43 per litre whereas CNG is only Rs 42 per kg.

There are other usual benefits of converting to CNG which include it being a clean fuel having the lowest content of carbon and other pollutants. It is economical as it has zero lead and is non-corrosive, non-dilutive and non-contaminating which helps in increasing the life of the engine and it requires less regular maintenance.

CNG prices are far more consistent than fluctuating petrol prices with the average mileage of CNG vehicles being better than that of diesel and petrol driven vehicles. CNG tanks are also considered much safer as they come with a tight seal, which reduces the possibility of explosion while refueling or in the event of a spill.
 
Compressed Natural Gas is also the future as at present around 12 million vehicles are already powered by it throughout the world and more companies and municipalities are joining the CNG movement every day. It is part of 'waste to wealth' as stubble (parali) can be used as a raw material for producing bio-CNG which will help the farmers to earn money by selling it to the bio-CNG production units in their locality.  
 
Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Narendra Singh Tomar, Parshottam Rupala and Gen.(Retd) VK Singh will also be present at the launch ceremony on Friday.