New Delhi, July 8: The Central Government has rejected the ongoing controversy surrounding 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, assuring vehicle owners that both auto manufacturers and general consumers have fully embraced the fuel. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri termed the allegations of engine vulnerabilities and consumer distress an outright misrepresentation, confirming that the current policy is backed by successful long-term implementation.
India has achieved its ethanol objectives via a highly calculated, multi-year progression rather than a sudden policy shift. The domestic market successfully utilized an E15 blend for over three years before migrating to the E20 standard, which has now been running smoothly at fuel stations nationwide for nearly a year and a half.
The ministry guaranteed that further increases in ethanol blending percentages will not be rushed without full consensus from commercial vehicle builders. Minister Puri affirmed that tests for a higher E25 blend are active but require patience before final deployment. He declared that once the reports are available, they will evaluate them and discuss the findings with the stakeholders and the automobile manufacturers.
The petroleum ministry intends to expand the Ethanol Blended Petrol program to safeguard macroeconomic interests and reinforce agricultural income, provided the data justifies subsequent phases. Minister Puri asserted that the automobile manufacturers, as well as the people who service these vehicles, all say there is no difficulty. He also updated that the rollout of an advanced E85 blend has only just begun and will take considerable time because new petrol pumps and related infrastructure need to be put in place across the country.
