Lok Sabha Question No. 418 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-24
Subject: National Policy on Bio-Fuels
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara, Parvesh Sahib Singh

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 418 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  JUNE, 2019

## National Policy on Bio-Fuels

## 418. SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR: SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH:

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Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has approved a National Policy on Bio-fuels for using foodgrains to produce ethanol and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study  to  evaluate  chain  of foodgrains in the country vis-a-vis benefits likely to be accrued in terms of saving foreign exchange, production of crude oil, cutting carbon di-oxide emission in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has worked/is working on policy reforms to shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy in the coming years and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  ratio  of  fossil  fuels  to  non-fossil  fuels  for  annual  vehicle consumption in the country; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to shift completely in providing Bharat stage VI fuel across Delhi/NCR region due to its high air pollution levels in the said region and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER isVªksfy;e vkSj izkd`frd xSl ea=h

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## MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

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(a)  :    The  National  Policy  on  Biofuels-2018  notified  on  8.6.2018 inter-alia allows production of ethanol from damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice etc. which are unfit for human consumption. The policy also allows conversion of surplus quantities of food grains to ethanol, based on the approval of National Biofuel Coordination Committee.

(b)  :    Use  of  damaged  food  grains  and  surplus  food  grains  for  production  of ethanol will increase its availability for Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme.    During  the  ethanol  supply  year  2017-18,  150.5  crore  litres  of ethanol  was  blended  in  Petrol  which  resulted  in  foreign  exchange  impact  of about Rs. 5070 crore and carbon emission reduced to the extent of 29.94 lakh tonnes.

(c) & (d) : The National Policy on Biofuels-2018 approved by the Government envisages an indicative target of 20% blending of ethanol in petrol and  5%  blending  of  bio-diesel  in  diesel  by  2030.  Under  EBP  programme, ethanol blending in petrol is being undertaken by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs)  in  whole  country  except  island  Union  Territory  (UT)  of  Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep wherein, OMCs blend up to 10 % ethanol in petrol under the EBP Programme.

Further,  Government  has  approved  Pradhan  Mantri  JI-VAN  Yojana  to provide  Viability  Gap  Funding  (VGF)  to  Second  Generation  bio-ethanol manufacturing projects to increase availability of ethanol for EBP programme.

Ministry has also issued Gazette Notification dated 1.5.2019 on 'Guidelines  for  sale  of  Biodiesel  for  blending  with  high  speed  diesel  for transportation purposes-2019' dated 30.4.2019.

(e) Government  has  decided  leapfrog  directly  to    BS-VI  quality  w.e.f. 1 st April,  2020  in  the  entire  country.    Considering  the  rise  in  environmental pollution in National Capital Region, Government has started supply of BS-VI auto fuel in National Capital Territory of Delhi from 1 st April, 2018.  Further, in line  with  the  directions  issued  by  Ministry  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas, supply of BS-VI auto fuel has started in ten districts of National Capital Region and  three  other  districts/cities  outside  of  National  Capital  Region  (Karauli, Dhaulpur and city of Agra) w.e.f. 1 st April, 2019.

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