Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Amid the rising clamour for freedom to choose the kind of oil people want to buy for their vehicles, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said that purity of the fuel will now come at a price. Motorists who do not wish to use ethanol-blended petrol can opt for 100 per cent petrol, but they will have to pay a higher price, he said in an interview with The Times of India recently.
The minister’s remarks relate to rising concern among sections of vehicle owners and experts over the Centre’s push to increase ethanol blending in petrol. Critics have raised questions over its impact on engine performance, fuel efficiency and compatibility with older vehicles.
During the interview, Gadkari dismissed claims that E20 fuel damages vehicle engines as misinformation and asserted that the Government has not received any complaints yet.
Asked whether E10 petrol could be made available alongside E20 at fuel stations, Gadkari said the country had already achieved 20 per cent ethanol blending. “How is it possible when we have achieved 20 per cent ethanol blending, and E20 fuel is available at every fuel station in the country? People who do not want ethanol-blended fuel can go for 100 per cent petrol, but they will have to pay more,” he told The Times of India.
On whether petrol pumps should offer multiple dispensers with different ethanol-blending levels so consumers could choose, Gadkari declined to comment, saying the matter falls under the Petroleum Ministry.
He added that some fuel stations already offer E85 (85 per cent ethanol-blended petrol) for flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs). More than half a dozen automobile manufacturers are preparing to launch such vehicles, he said, adding that E85 is cheaper than E20, giving consumers another option.
Asked whether E10 petrol could be made available alongside E20 at fuel stations, Gadkari said the country had already achieved 20 per cent ethanol blending. “How is it possible when we have achieved 20 per cent ethanol blending, and E20 fuel is available at every fuel station in the country? People who do not want ethanol-blended fuel can go for 100 per cent petrol, but they will have to pay more,” he told The Times of India.
Blames E20 criticism on politics
Rejecting criticism of the ethanol-blending programme, Gadkari said the campaign against it was politically motivated. “There is misinformation about E20 fuel damaging engines. All E10-compliant vehicles are fit for using E20 fuel,” he said.
The minister also said no complaints had been received so far about E20 fuel damaging engines. “Maruti Suzuki has publicly stated so. Auto manufacturers offer guarantees on vehicles. There are people in your office who are using two-wheelers and petrol cars. How many have faced a problem? A few days ago, I had asked people to write to my ministry if they were facing any problems with their vehicles. There has been no complaint so far,” he said.
On concerns over fuel efficiency, he acknowledged that ethanol has a lower calorific value than petrol, which could result in a marginal drop in mileage. “As for mileage, in city traffic in Delhi or Mumbai, you will not see any major change. There may be some loss when you are driving at high speed on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. I have always said there is a minor mileage loss due to the low calorific value of ethanol compared to petrol,” he said.
Responding to criticism that his family had benefited from the ethanol-blending programme, Gadkari denied any conflict of interest.
He said he had been advocating ethanol for many years and noted that the programme began during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, not recently.
“The sugar factory belongs to my family, and it predates the whole conversation around ethanol. That business is run by my sons. The programme is run by the Petroleum Ministry and the price is decided by the Cabinet. So, I have no influence over it,” he said.
Gadkari added that ethanol accounts for only around 10 per cent of the family’s business and that the factories run by his sons have less than 0.5 per cent share of India’s ethanol market. “The companies have a debt of Rs 1,600 crore. A lot of lies are being spread,” he said.
‘Ethanol production cuts oil imports and benefits farmers’
Gadkari said ethanol production helps reduce India’s dependence on imported crude oil and stressed that he supports producing ethanol from multiple feedstocks, not just sugarcane.
He said he had promoted maize-based ethanol, which benefited farmers in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh by helping them secure better prices when market rates fell below the minimum support price (MSP). The minister also highlighted ethanol production from rice, paddy stubble and bamboo. He said paddy stubble, a major source of pollution in Haryana and Punjab, is being used to produce ethanol at Panipat, while bamboo-based ethanol production is being encouraged in Assam.
Drawing international comparisons, Gadkari said countries such as Brazil have been using ethanol for decades without damaging vehicles. He added that Indonesia and Thailand are also moving towards greater use of biofuels.
Blenders’ pride, consumers’ peril
Over the past few weeks, the Centre’s push to increase ethanol blending in petrol has sparked concerns among motorists and experts over its impact on engine performance, fuel efficiency and the compatibility of older vehicles.
The Government, however, has dismissed what it calls misinformation surrounding the E20 programme. In a detailed 10-point clarification, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas addressed concerns related to engine damage, water consumption, vehicle warranties, fuel efficiency and the environmental impact of ethanol-blended fuel. It said the E20 programme, under which petrol contains up to 20 per cent ethanol, is backed by scientific studies, regulatory safeguards and international experience.
