Ethanol Has Become One of the Top Priorities of 21st Century India, says PM Modi on World Environment Day

Speaking at the launch of the ethanol road map on the occasion of World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the target date to achieve 20% ethanol-blending with petrol has been advanced by 5 years - from 2030 to 2025 - to reduce pollution and decrease import dependence.

He said that ethanol has become one of the main priorities of 21st century India. Prime Minister said  the focus on ethanol is have ng a better impact on the environment as well as on the lives of farmers. He said that a large part of this eightfold increase in ethanol procurement has benefitted the sugarcane farmers of the country.

Ethanol extracted from sugarcane and damaged food grains like wheat & broken rice and agriculture waste is less polluting. Moreover, its use provides farmers with an alternate source of income.

In 2020, the government had set a target of reaching 10% ethanol blending in petrol (10% of ethanol mixed with 90% of diesel) by 2022 and 20% doping by 2030.

At present, about 8.5% ethanol is mixed with petrol as against 1-1.5% in 2014, PM Modi said adding that ethanol procurement has increased from 38 crore litres to 320 crore litres.

Last year, oil companies had spent Rs. 21,000 crore on procurement of ethanol, Prime Minister said.

He added that besides helping the environment, the focus on ethanol is also leaving a good impact on the lives of cultivators.

He highlighted India's efforts to protecting climate change and said that renewable energy capacity has increased 250% and now India is among the top 5 nations with the largest installed capacity.

Similarly, India is now a supporter of climate change resolution and is among the top 10 countries on the Climate Change Performance Index, PM said. He told that "Economy & ecology can go together and this is the path India has chosen”.