World Environment Day: India advances 20 per cent ethanol-blending in petrol to 2025

Vibha Sharma 

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 5

India has advanced the target date for achieving 20 per cent ethanol-blending in petrol by five years to 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, as the world's third-biggest oil importer looks to cut carbon emissions and reduce reliance on foreign oil.

The earlier target was the year 2030.

The Prime Minister said 11 sectors have been identified to make good use of resources by recycling them through modern technology. 

“The action plan for ‘Kachra to Kanchan campaign’ having all the regulatory and development-related aspects will be implemented in the coming months,” he said, addressing an event to mark the World Environment Day, organised by the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Environment, Forest, and Climate Change to mark the day.

“The 21st century India can get energy only from the modern thinking and modern policies of the 21st century. India is setting an example to the world that it is not necessary to stop development for protecting the environment,” the PM said.

Modi said till 2014, on an average only 1.5 per cent of ethanol was being blended in India, which is currently 8.5 percent.

In 2013-14, around 38 crore liters of ethanol were purchased in the country which has increased to more than 320 crore liters.

The Prime Minister also released the “Report of the Expert Committee on Road Map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025” and launched the ambitious E-100 pilot project in Pune for the production and distribution of ethanol across the country.

The theme for this year’s event is ‘promotion of biofuels for a better environment’. 

“India has taken another leap by releasing a detailed roadmap for the development of the ethanol sector on the occasion of World Environment Day,” the PM said

The PM also interacted with a farmer from Pune who shared his experience of organic farming and use of biofuel in agriculture.

“Ethanol has become one of the major priorities of 21st-century India,” he said, adding that focus on biofuel is having a better impact on the environment as well as on the lives of farmers. “A large part of this eightfold increase in ethanol procurement has benefitted the sugarcane farmers of the country,” he said.

Most of the ethanol manufacturing units are mostly concentrated in 4-5 states where sugar production is high. However, now food grain-based distilleries are being established to expand it to the entire country to make ethanol from agricultural waste.

“India is a strong proponent of climate justice and is moving ahead with a lofty global vision like the founding of the International Solar Alliance for realising the vision of One Sun, One World, One Grid and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure initiative,” he said.

He noted that India has been included in the top 10 countries of the world in the Climate Change Performance Index. “India is aware of the challenges that are being faced due to climate change and is also working actively,” he said.

Speaking on “hard and soft approaches” being taken to fight climate change, he said India’s capacity for renewable energy has increased by more than 250 per cent in the last 6-7 years and common man has also joined pro-environment campaign like avoiding single-use plastic, beach cleaning and Swachh Bharat.

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Singh Tomar, Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal, and Dharmendra Pradhan were also present on the occasion. 

 India’s green footprint  

*Kachra to Kanchan campaign being taken forward in mission mode.

*India stands among the top 5 countries of the world in terms of installed renewable energy capacity.

*Capacity of solar energy increased by about 15 times in the past 6 years.

*Ujjwala scheme reduced dependence on wood, helping environment and health of users

*Forests cover increased by 15 thousand square kilometers in the last few years.

*Number of tigers in India doubled and leopards increased by about 60 percent in the last few years.

*Metro rails increased from 5 cities to 18 cities

*More than 80 airports have been installed with LED lights which would improve energy efficiency.

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