India saved 1.40 lakh crore foreign exchange due to use of ethanol-blended petrol : Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that ethanol-blended petrol has greatly benefitted farmers and resulted in saving over Rs 1.40 lakh crore of foreign exchange.

"Use of E-20 petrol (Ethanol Blended Petrol) is a healthy trend. It is a green transition. It is less polluted and also saves foreign exchange," he said in Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

The use of ethanol-blended petrol has been found to bear no adverse impact on the performance on automobiles and commercial vehicles, he said.

Amid concerns over the use of ethanol-blended petrol, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said safety norms for E20 fuel have been established through BIS specifications and Automotive Industry Standards. Tests have shown no issues with drivability, or the compatibility of metal and plastic components.

Explaining economic benefits offered by the E20 programme, Gadkari said Indian farmers received around Rs 40,000 crore for supplying sugarcane, maize and other raw materials for the Ethanol blending programme.

To a question on vehicle compatibility with E10 and E20 fuel standards, Gadkari reiterated his previous claims about how no evidence of adverse impact has been found in any of the studies conducted by the centre and shared details of the present government policy on the subject.

Vehicle manufacturers are responsible for declaring whether a model is compatible with E20 fuel, and this information must be clearly displayed on the vehicle using a visible sticker, Gadkari said.

He also clarified that vehicles sold before April 1, 2023, are compatible with E10 fuel, while those sold after this date are made with materials compliant with E20 standards.