Sugarcane growers benefitted from ethanol blending: Modi Government

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted in the Lok Sabha that the government has realized savings of Rs 24,000 crore through the blending of ethanol with petrol and a significant portion of these savings have been directed towards benefiting sugarcane farmers of the country.

Currently, ethanol blending stands at 12 percent and the government has planned to increase it to 20 percent as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.

Acknowledging the increase in India’s oil imports over recent years, Shekhawat, responding on behalf of Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, emphasized the country’s gains from ethanol blending despite this trend. He noted that while oil import dependency has risen, it aligns with the nation’s growth and energy demand trajectory.

Shekhawat underscored the positive aspect of Rs 24,000 crore in savings attributed to ethanol blending over the past years, with a substantial portion of these savings benefiting sugarcane farmers.

He assured that environmental considerations are paramount in oil drilling activities, whether onshore or offshore, with commercial production proceeding only after thorough assessment of environmental concerns and other relevant factors.

Recently, Hardeep Singh Puri announced that the number of retail outlets retailing E20 is now more than 9300 and will cover the entire country by 2025. With regards to India’s achievements in the Ethanol Blending Programme, the Petroleum Minister tells about Narendra Modi’s success from 2014 to 2023. Through the EBP Programme, India saved Rs.78,118 crore foreign exchange in the last ten years. This helped in substituting 142 lakh MT of crude oil and lowering CO2 emissions by a massive 426 lakh MT.