Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that the government will make it mandatory for all vehicle manufacturers to make flex-fuel engines, after it gets permission from the Supreme Court.

Flex-fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative fuel made of a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol.

Addressing the annual session of industry body PHDCCI, Gadkari further said that the government is working to develop an ethanol economy.

"We are going to make it mandatory for all vehicle manufacturers to make flex-fuel engines (that can run on more than one fuel)," the road transport and highways minister said.

The minister cited examples of Brazil, Canada and the USA, where most automobile companies manufacture flex-fuel engines vehicles.

"We have submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court. When we get the permission of the Supreme Court, then we will make it mandatory for all vehicle manufacturers to make flex-fuel engines," Gadkari added.

Gadkari suggested that the military should ban the use of diesel engine vehicles and use trucks which run on LNG, CNG and ethanol.

The minister pointed out that ethanol is much cheaper than petrol and diesel.

Noting that the government is working to develop the ethanol economy, he said, "450 factories have shown interest in manufacturing ethanol.

Stressing that there is a need to switch to indigenous fuels, the minister said that the government is working to make the automobile industry a Rs 15-lakh-crore worth industry that will offer additional employment to around 1 crore people in India.