Seeking to reduce reliance on imported crude oil, India has advanced the target date for achieving 20 per cent ethanol-blending in petrol by five years to 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. India imports 85 per cent of its crude oil requirement.
“The target for mixing 20 per cent ethanol in petrol has been brought forward from 2030 to 2025,” PM Modi said at the release of ethanol blending road map 2020-25 on the occasion of World Environment Day.
Currently, about 8.5 per cent ethanol is mixed with petrol as against 1-1.5 per cent in 2014, he said adding higher blending has led to ethanol procurement jumping from 38 crore litres to 320 crore litres.
Ethanol extracted from sugarcane as well as damaged food grains such as wheat and broken rice and agriculture waste is less polluting and its use also provides farmers with an alternate source of income.
Earlier this week, the Petroleum Ministry had issued a gazette notification mandating start of up to 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol from April 1, 2023. All petrol sold in the country is targeted to have 20 per cent ethanol by 2025.
(Published 05 June 2021, 11:00 IST)
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