Guwahati: The Union Petroleum Ministry said the country has achieved the target of 10 percent ethanol blending, 5 months ahead of schedule.

The Government of India has been supporting the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme in order to improve India's energy security, reduce import reliance on gasoline, save foreign exchange, solve environmental challenges, and stimulate the local agriculture industry.

The Government's notified 'National Policy on Biofuels' in 2018 projected an indicative target of 20% ethanol blending in gasoline by 2030. However, due to the good performance and other interventions implemented by the government since 2014, the aim of 20% ethanol blending was pushed back from 2030 to 2025-26.

The Prime Minister also issued a "Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25" in June 2021, which lays out a detailed plan for reaching 20% ethanol blending. This strategy also included an intermediate goal of achieving 10% blending by November 2022.

"However, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), the target of 10% blending under the programme has been achieved, much ahead of the targeted timelines of November 2022, wherein the Public Sector, oil marketing companies has attained an average 10% ethanol blending in petrol across the country," the ministry stated.

This accomplishment over the previous eight years has not only increased India's energy security, but has also resulted in a forex impact of over Rs.41,500 crores, a reduction in GHG emissions of 27 lakh MT, and the prompt payment of over Rs.40,600 crores to farmers.

According to the ministry, with all of the government's actions, the EBP Program is on pace to meet the aim of 20 percent blending by 2025-26.