AndhraNews.Net - Smt.Sumita Mahajan emphasizes the need to include Oil Conservation in school syllabus

New Delhi: January 15, 2004 17:35 IST

Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, has said that she would suggest to the HRD Minister Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi to introduce oil and gas conservation as a subject in the school syllabus for educating the children right from their childhood. Smt. Mahajan said this while inaugurating the National Programme of observing "Oil & Gas Conservation Fortnight 2004" at a colourful function held here today. The Minister said that since children are important ambassadors to carry the message to the society, their role in such kind of awareness programme is very significant. Educating a number of school children representing several schools in the Capital, Smt. Mahajan said that like saving money in their pigmy’s bank, saving of oil would also help the country in many ways. This is more important as the future citizen of the country are likely to be adversely affected if the predications of the world exhausting oil and gas resources by 2050 comes true.

The Minister also informed that the country is spending a huge amount of about Rs. 90,000 crore on oil import in a year. Though efforts are on to increase domestic production and harness new source like producing bio-diesel, blending ethanol with petrol and producing CBM, the need to procure from abroad would remain high due to increasing consumption. The Minister released a book "Boond Boond ki Baat" a compilation by Ms. Leena Mahandale, Executive Director, PCRA, of some of the episodes of PCRA’s Radio Programme. She also administered the oil and gas conservation oath to the children and others present, resolving to make judicious use of every ounce of the hydrocarbon resources.

Press Release by: PIB