Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that India is on track to achieve its 20 per cent ethanol blending target in the next two months.Ethanol blending with petrol was first introduced in 2001 as part of a pilot project aimed at promoting alternative fuel usage."We will achieve this target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in the next two months. Use of E20 (petrol with 20 per cent ethanol) will help in reducing pollution," Gadkari said while speaking at an event.Gadkari also highlighted that leading automakers, including Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and Hyundai Motors, have begun manufacturing vehicles that run entirely on 100 per cent bio-ethanol.The minister said that pollution is a serious problem in the country as 42 Indian cities are among the 50 most polluted cities in the world."We import fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore, which is also causing pollution," he said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the higher 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol in 2023.Ethanol, sourced from sugarcane, broken rice, and other agricultural products, is expected to reduce India’s dependence on imported oil, as the nation ranks as the third-largest oil consumer globally.Currently, 85 per cent of India’s oil requirements are met through imports, underscoring the importance of alternative fuels like ethanol.The use of E20 leads to an estimated reduction of carbon monoxide emissions by about 50 per cent in two-wheelers and about 30 per cent in four-wheelers compared to E0 (neat petrol).India successfully achieved a 10 per cent ethanol blending target in June 2022, well ahead of the scheduled deadline of November 2022.Automobile engines can run on E20 with minor modifications in the engine for corrosion, etc.Also Read: Rail Connectivity From Jammu To Kashmir Soon As CRS Green Lights Train Operations On Katra-Reasi Section Of USBRL
