Petroleum Ministry reacts to ethanol blending criticism, says UPA government started it

Indias ethanol blending programme did not begin under the present government and the initiative has a long institutional history and milestones the Petroleum Ministry said on Friday adding that the transition from E10 to E20 ethanol blending was not based on assumptions but on years of testing manufacturer consultations and field experienceldquoA pilot ethanol blending programme was launched in 2001 formally announced in 2004 and E5 5 per cent ethanol blending was rolled out across several states by 2006 The policy framework was subsequently notified in the Gazette of India in January 2013 during the UPA government These are matters of public recordrdquo said the ministry in a detailed statementIndia had set a target of achieving 5 per cent ethanol blending across 10 states and union territories Unfortunately despite that ambition blending remained stuck at around 15 per cent until 2014 it informedldquoNobody questioned ethanol as a fuel That had already been settled globally The real challenge was how India could produce sufficient quantities of ethanolrdquo said the Petroleum MinistryAt that time India depended almost entirely on sugarcane a seasonal crop with an annual ethanol production capacity of roughly 400 crore litres Such production levels were inadequate even for modest blending targetsRecognising this constraint the government fundamentally changed its approach With the launch of the National Policy on Biofuels in May 2018 the government began creating the ecosystem necessary to produce ethanol at scale This became a genuine wholeofgovernment missionldquoThe Ministry of Petroleum amp Natural Gas Department of Food amp Public Distribution Ministry of Road Transport amp Highways Ministry of Heavy Industries Indian Railways and several other ministries worked in close coordination to expand feedstocks build infrastructure support technology align logistics create demand certainty and encourage investmentrdquo said the official statementIt further explained that a landmark step came in August 2021 when Indias Oil Marketing Companies IOCL BPCL and HPCL issued expressions of interest for establishing Dedicated Ethanol Plants DEPs in ethanoldeficit regionsThese projects transformed the investment landscape because they offered assured longterm purchase agreements by Oil Marketing Companies tripartite financing arrangements with public sector banks through escrow mechanisms substantially reducing investment risk mandatory supply of ethanol exclusively for the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme and these plants naturally required nearly two years to come on streamAnother important milestone came in June 2021 when NITI Aayog published its comprehensive roadmap about ethanol blending after extensive consultation with automobile manufacturers oil companies agricultural experts and other stakeholdersThe report highlighted not only the environmental and energy security benefits of ethanol but also the transformational impact on rural incomes and the agricultural economyAt that stage Indias requirement for 10 per cent blending was 500600 crore litres of ethanol annually As fresh investments materialised and production capacity expanded it became evident that the country would soon be capable of producing nearly 1200 crore litresOnce the supply side had been secured it became both logical and responsible to aspire for 20 per cent blending So the suggestion that India lsquorushedrsquo into ethanol blending is simply not borne out by facts said the ministryThis has been a journey spanning over two decades from pilot projects in 2001 policy notification in 2013 institutional reforms after 2018 massive investments beginning in 2021 and then a carefully calibrated phased increase in blending levelsAll stakeholders including automobile manufacturing companies testing agencies OMCs DFPD etc were consulted before rollout according to the statementBefore E20 was rolled out the government undertook several rounds of detailed consultations with all stakeholders such as automobile manufacturers technical experts testing agencies and others to ensure readiness across the ecosystemMaruti Suzuki serviced 284 crore vehicles during FY 202526 including 15 crore older nonE20certified vehicles and reported no E20linked corrosion abnormal wear or componentlife damageHero MotoCorp has reported similar field experience This realworld evidence is far more reliable than isolated anecdotesAdvising consumers not to be misled by misinformation scaremongering or unverified content circulating on social media the ministry said that ethanol and blended petrol conform to strict BIS specifications and undergo quality checks at every stage from the distillery to the depot to the retail outletldquoAny procedural lapse anywhere in the supply chain should be dealt with firmly Chief Secretaries of the states have been requested to ensure strict enforcement and take an iron hand against any instance of adulteration There can be zero tolerance for lapses that compromise fuel qualityrdquo the ministry saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever