New Delhi : The central government has made a significant claim regarding ethanol-blended petrol. The government says that if ethanol had not been added to petrol, the price could have reached ₹125 per liter during the recent West Asian crisis. However, ethanol-blended petrol has provided significant relief to consumers, saving them approximately ₹30 per liter.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement issued on Friday that blending of ethanol in petrol is not only helping in controlling fuel prices but is also strengthening India’s energy security.
The ministry said that blending of ethanol in petrol has resulted in savings of about Rs 30 per litre for Delhi consumers.
Due to increase in crude oil prices in the global market, petrol in Delhi could have been priced at Rs 125 per litre without ethanol, which came down to Rs 94.77 per litre due to this blending.
The Petroleum Ministry said the ethanol-blended petrol programme has provided benefits on several fronts, including reducing dependence on crude oil imports.
At the same time, farmers and the distillery industry have received economic benefits. According to the ministry, the scheme seeks to balance food security, farmers’ income, and the country’s energy needs.
The government has clarified that only the grains that remain surplus after meeting food security requirements are used to produce ethanol.
The government has clarified that there is no evidence to prove that E20 petrol causes any damage to the engines of old or new vehicles.