The government has given a statement to the Supreme Court about the government’s plan to add 20 percent ethanol to petrol. The government told the court that this 20 percent ethanol blending program remains an ongoing experiment. The true impact of this policy will become fully apparent only in the coming years. In fact, many consumers and experts fear that adding high levels of ethanol to gasoline can destroy older vehicles and also reduce the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. The government gave this explanation in the court amid controversy.
The government is trying to allay the fears and apprehensions of the people. According to Govt E20 This means that there is no conclusive evidence that gasoline containing 20 percent ethanol causes mechanical damage to vehicles. Instead, the government claims that the policy will help ensure India’s energy security and is highly beneficial to the country’s farmers as well as the environment as a whole. The country’s top court was actually hearing a petition filed by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)., Where a judgment of the Karnataka High Court was challenged. The Karnataka High Court had directed the state-owned oil companies to consider increasing the allocation of ethanol on a petition filed by a distillery or brewery.
BPCL told the court that such an order could have a major impact on the government’s national target of 20 per cent ethanol blend. Attorney General R Venkataramani, who appeared for the central government, informed the court that the ethanol allocation process for the 2025-26 supply year had already been completed last October and the supply agreement had been finalised. So re-introducing this allocation to a single supplier now could hamper this huge nationwide programme. He warned that such petitions are pending in various high courts and may affect the entire national policy. Govt He said a trial of the mixture was being conducted and the results would be published next year.
The attorney general argued that exempting one supplier would lead to similar demands on other companies, This will increase legal complications and disrupt the supply chain. He said BPCL has received proposals to supply around 1,759 crore liters of ethanol after the tender process. Next October when the ethanol supply contract will be renewed again, In order to dispose of the matter before that, he seeks leave to transfer the application. Shortly after the hearing, the Attorney General clarified to the media that the 20 percent ethanol blend was the government’s permanent policy and unlikely to change., The amount of ethanol supplied to companies can only vary according to demand.
India has reached its target of 20 percent ethanol in petrol by 2025, five years ahead of schedule. Oil marketing companies have already started supplying petrol with ethanol across the country and the government has set a target of increasing the blend to 30 percent by 2030. And called it economically viable. E20 The ministry also clarified that reports that fuel consumption can void vehicle insurance are completely baseless. According to the sources of the ministry, this system is of the United States, It is also running successfully in developed countries like Brazil and Japan and has helped India save over Rs 1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing crude oil imports.