New Delhi: India is going to increase the production of ethanol as people are facing problems due to a hike in petrol and diesel prices, said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday.
The automobile makers in Brazil, Canada and the US are producing flex-fuel engines that provide an alternative to customers to use 100% petrol or 100% bio-ethanol, he said addressing a conference organised by BRICS Network University virtually.
“Now Indian production (of ethanol) we are going to increase because of the rise in petrol prices, people are facing a lot of problems,” Gadkari said while explaining that the use of ethanol is cost-effective.
The prices of petrol have crossed Rs 100 in several parts of the country over the past six weeks.
Gadkari said, “India has advanced the 20% ethanol blending with petrol by 5 years to 2025 to reduce expenditure on fuel. At present, around 8.5% ethanol is mixed with petrol as against 1-1.5% in 2014.”
The roadmap for ethanol blending in India 2020-25 was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 5 this year on the occasion of World Environment Day.
Recently, Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) told reporters, “It is likely that ethanol distillation capacities in the country would be more than doubled by 2025 and India would be able to achieve 20 per cent blending target.”
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