India is importing oil to meet the oil based demand for energy. About 70% of the domestic demand is met through imported oil. The price of the oil in the international market is ever increasing. This is putting a heavy burden on scarce foreign exchange of the country as the price for imported oil is paid in foreign currency. In order to reduce dependence on imported oil it is proposed to replace petro-diesel by bio-diesel which can be produced indigenously from oil bearing seeds. Due to scarcity of edible oil in the country, the edible oil cannot be used for this purpose. However, the tree borne oil seeds can be used for production of bio-diesel.

Jatropha carcus, Carunja (Pongemia Pinnata) and Neem seeds come in this category. Out of all available oil bearing seeds Jatropha seed is considered most suitable because 35% to 40% oil can be extracted from it which is highest amongst all oil bearing seeds in India.

Although Jatropha plant grows faster, even it takes three years to bear fruits, i.e., starts yielding seeds. In view of this the plantation of Jatropha need to be undertaken immediately. In order to produce bio-diesel in sufficient quantity, it is necessary to organize awareness programmes at the national level for plantation of Jatropha carcus. For achieving the national target stipulated for replacing petro-diesel bybio-diesel to the extent of 20% by 2011 it is necessary to bring large areas under Jatropha plantation. Keeping this in view it has been planned to bring about 13.4 million hectares of land under Jatropha plantation.

In order to translate this into reality it would mean identification of wasteland, various stake holders and formulation of plans for plantation of Jatropha saplings thereon. At present a limited segment of people in the country are aware of utility of Jatropha in this respect. In order to involve large number of people and institutions in plantation of Jatropha there is a need for organizing awareness programmes at the national level so that this concept can be propagated widely . Hence, with this back ground, IASRD organized the above Seminar at New Delhi on 7th March 2006. The Seminar was inaugurated by Hon'ble Union Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Panchayati Raj Shri Mani Shanker Aiyar. Dr. K.D. Gupta, Chairman, IASRD welcomed the Chief Guest. Shri S.C. Tripathi IAS, former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, Govt.
of India delivered the key note address. The Seminar was largely attended by representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions from 40 districts in Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, U.P and Uttaranchal and delegates from cement industry etc. The Seminar was sponsored by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd., and PCRA . Ms. Leena Mehendale, IAS, Principal Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra, Mr. N.R. Raje, former Director IOC, Mr. N.K Sehgal, Director, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Janardan Sharma, Manager, BPCL, K.S. Verma, Tribo Consultant Mr.Ajit Kumar, Joint Director, PCRA, Mr. A.K. Lohia, General Secretary, Uttaranchal Bio-fuel Board, were among the prominent speakers The conclusions and recommendations of the Seminar are compiled in a Compendium published by the Institute.