The Prime Minister inaugurated the world's first commercial-scale second-generation (2G) bioethanol plant using bamboo as feedstock at Golaghat in Assam. Second-generation ethanol is made from non-food biomass, so it does not compete with food crops. The plant supports India's ethanol blending programme, cuts dependence on imported fuel and offers a new income source for bamboo growers in the North-East. Assam has abundant bamboo resources, making it a suitable location for such a facility.