'Paid campaign against me': Nitin Gadkari on ethanol blending row

New Delhi: Reacting on the recent controversy about the negative impact of ethanol blending in petrol on the safety and mileage of vehicles, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday termed it a "politically motivated paid campaign” to derail India’s energy transition programme.

Rubbishing the criticism, Gadkari said ethanol blending is cost-effective, indigenous, and reduces pollution.

“The way your industry works, so does politics. The social media campaign was a paid campaign. It was against ethanol and to target me politically. There is no truth in that. All issues have been clarified,” Gadkari said at an event organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the 20% ethanol blending in petrol, which is referred to as E20. Those opposing the E20 programme argue that ethanol blending causes drastic reduction in fuel efficiency and accelerated wear and tear to certain components, especially in old vehicles, which are not designed for the blended fuel.

As per industry executives, while ethanol blending impacts fuel efficiency it is not a safety concern for vehicles.

“You might see a degradation in terms of performance or fuel, but that really depends on your driving behaviour and the kind of traffic conditions you are in. So (it’s) hard to differentiate one from the other,” said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive officer, automotive division, Mahindra & Mahindra.

Gollagunta said Mahindra group would soon issue an advisory regarding E20. “Mahindra is drafting an advisory on the E20 blended fuel, which should reach customers next week,” he said.

Underlining the impact of ethanol blending on the economy, Gadkari said ethanol blending is “import substitute, cost-effective, pollution-free, and indigenous.”

“Rs 22 lakh crore worth fossil fuel is being imported. The Prime Minister's dream is to make India self-reliant. Ethanol will play a role in reducing the import bill,” Gadkari said.

To boost scrapping of end-of-life vehicles, Gadkari said the government would come out with more incentives to facilitate the shift to more fuel-efficient vehicles.

“India’s auto industry stands at an inflection point where sustainability, safety and technology are central to future growth,” said Kartick Nagpal, President of Rosmerta Technologies.

“The renewed focus on scrappage, driver training and road safety will accelerate the shift towards cleaner and more responsible mobility. Gadkari Ji’s vision for safer, cleaner roads is a clear call to action,” Nagpal added.

In his message to the SIAM’s annual convention, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government is taking measures to make India's auto industry future-ready. He said the focus is on green tech, electric vehicles (EVs) and sustainable alternatives.

In a video message, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy said the government is working closely with other stakeholders including the auto industry to meet domestic sustainability goals.

“The steel industry is looking at developing specialised steel, which is required for certain components or parts in the auto sector, so that this sector need not be dependent on imports to meet their specific high-grade steel requirements,” Kumaraswamy said.