Viksit Bharat Conclave: Nitin Gadkari challenged the critics, said – let them name even one car which has problem with E20

New Delhi. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday responded to the criticism on the sale of ethanol mixed petrol (E20). He challenged critics to name even one car that had problems with mixed fuel. Gadkari said in ‘Viksit Bharat Conclave’ that India’s dependence on fossil fuel is an economic burden. He said that Rs 22 lakh crore is spent annually on fuel imports. It is also a threat to the environment, so adopting clean energy is important for the progress of the country.

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Does ethanol mixed petrol harm vehicles?

Gadkari said that no vehicle has faced any problem due to E20 petrol. He said that falsehoods are being spread regarding the use of high ethanol blended petrol. He described it as a “paid campaign”. India has already achieved the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol. It is made from biomass such as sugarcane, corn or rice. This has reduced dependence on imported crude oil and also reduced carbon emissions.

Is there an option to choose fuel in India?

Vehicle owners in India do not have the option to choose different fuels at the petrol pump. In Brazil, customers have a choice of fuel at different prices. Under Brazilian law, it is mandatory to provide price rebates on fuels with higher ethanol blends. There is no such option in India right now.

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Are Gadkari’s family companies involved in ethanol production?

Gadkari also responded to allegations of involvement of family members’ companies in ethanol production. The Road Transport and Highways Minister said that his family members owned sugar mills. His companies are not dependent on ethanol production. He informed that ethanol is in surplus in the country. The move to make ethanol from maize has provided additional income of Rs 45,000 crore to farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The market price of maize was Rs 1,200 per quintal, which increased to Rs 2,800 per quintal.