VARANASI, Nov. 6 -- Farmers who feed the nation could soon power it as well, union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday, describing a new role for them as 'urjadata' (energy providers) and 'indhandata' (fuel providers) alongside their identity as 'annadata' (food producers). He was speaking in Jaunpur district, where he inaugurated three completed National Highway projects worth Rs 3,210 crore and launched work on five others costing around Rs 400 crore. The completed projects include the 63-km Rae Bareli-Prayagraj four-lane stretch, built at a cost of Rs 1,505 crore; the 24-km Jagatpur-Babuganj-Unchahar-Alapur four-lane bypass and bridge (Rs 1,078 crore); and the 49-km Machhlishahr-Janghai-Bhadohi road (Rs 627 crore). Gadkari also performed the bhumi pujan and initiated work on five projects aimed at improving traffic movement and connectivity in the region. These include the 4-km Mungra-Badshahpur bypass (Rs 198 crore), 12-km four-laning from Kuttupur intersection in Jaunpur city to Sarai Khwaja (Rs 128 crore), an overbridge at Mariahu railway crossing (1.5 km, Rs 92 crore), a four-lane road from Lata Mangeshkar intersection to Prasad Institute (5 km, Rs 33 crore), and a two-lane bridge over the Sai river at Ramdayal Ganj (Rs 16 crore). Addressing the gathering, Gadkari said National Highway projects worth Rs 5 lakh crore were underway in Uttar Pradesh. Of these, projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore had been completed, while those worth Rs 3 lakh crore were in the pipeline and the remaining works were in progress. He said infrastructure development in water, electricity, telecommunications and roads was essential to achieving the goal of a developed India. These sectors would also help attract industries and generate employment, he added. Speaking about alternative fuels, Gadkari said farmers should move beyond being food providers and become producers of energy and fuel. He cited ethanol production from maize, broken rice and sugarcane, and said an ethanol-powered Toyota Innova would be launched on November 26. Discussing technological changes in the agricultural and rural sectors, Gadkari said farmers, traditionally known as annadata, should also become urjadata and indhandata. "Hydrogen will be produced by Uttar Pradesh's farmers. This hydrogen will run our aircraft, cars and railway engines," Gadkari said, adding that he also used a hydrogen-powered car in Delhi. "Farmers in Uttar Pradesh would soon be involved in producing hydrogen from water under the guidance of chief minister Yogi Adityanath," he said....