New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) The government will review the progress of India’s ethanol blending programme before setting higher targets, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday. Puri said the country had achieved the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol six years ahead of schedule. “We had the target of 20 per cent blending for 2030, and we have achieved it in advance. Now, we will assess where to go next,” he said, adding that any further targets would be decided after evaluating how the ecosystem is adapting.

The ethanol blending programme was launched to reduce India’s crude oil imports and cut carbon emissions by mixing ethanol with petrol. India achieved 1.4 per cent blending in 2014 and 10 per cent in 2022, five months before the deadline. However, concerns have been raised by vehicle owners and automakers about the impact of E20 fuel on engine health and mileage. Rejecting such fears, Puri said that stories about ethanol harming engines were not accurate.

“If a person drives from Delhi to Gurugram daily, there are 21 reasons why the car’s efficiency could drop by 1–2 per cent. Biofuels are not to blame,” he said. Highlighting wider reforms in the energy sector since 2016, Puri pointed to the Oilfield (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, which he said has made exploration and production more attractive to global investors. He noted renewed interest from international oil majors in partnering with Indian PSUs like ONGC to rejuvenate offshore oil basins, including Mumbai High.

He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating India’s first bamboo-based ethanol plant in Assam, calling it a milestone in the country’s energy journey. Puri further said India is on track to expand its energy and industrial capacity, with plans for 2,200 global capability centres by 2030. These centres are expected to create 2.8 million jobs and generate more than $100 million in revenue. On green hydrogen, the minister said he was confident that India could bring down its cost to below $3 per kilogramme, making it globally competitive. “Prime Minister Modi has turned geopolitical challenges into opportunities. India will soon overtake Germany in terms of growth rate,” Puri added.