Lok Sabha Question No. 3592 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-21
Subject: Blending of Ethanol
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: M. UDHAYAKUMAR, GOPALAKRISHNAN CHINNARAJ, RAM CHARITRA, VINOD KUMAR SONKAR, VASANTHI M.

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3592 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST  DECEMBER, 2015

## BLENDING OF ETHANOL

3592.  ADV. M. UDHAYAKUMAR: DR. C. GOPALAKRISHANAN: SHRI RAM CHARITRA NISHAD: SHRI VINOD KUMAR NONKAR: SHRIMATI VASANTHI M.:

## isVªksfy;e vkSj izkd`frd xSl ea=h

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to use ethanol bended petrol and bio-diesel for vehicles in the country;
- (b) if so, the use of ethanol blended petrol and bio-diesel in India along with proportionate sale of  bio-fuel  mandatory  to  bulk  consumers  such  as  railways,  shipping  and  road  transport corporations;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to launch any programme to promote and encourage use of ethanol blending in petrol and bio-diesel in the country;
- (d) if  so,  policy  of  the  Government for blending of ethanol/bio-diesel in petroleum products along with the steps taken for sufficient availability of ethanol/bio-diesel in the country;
- (e) the ethanol offered and procured by Oil Marketing Companies to ensure the implementation of Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) across the country particularly in States having lack of sugarcane;
- (f) whether  the  Government  plans  to  sell  ethanol  mixed  petrol  through  distribution  from various  petrol  pumps    across  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  time  by which ethanol mixed petrol is likely to be available in the country/State/UT-wise; and
- (g) the achievement made by the Government so far to blend permissible limit of ethanol and use  of  bio-diesel  in  the  country  in  order  to  reduce  prices  of  petrol/diesel  in  the  country along with any plan to monitor the production of ethanol blended petrol to meet out the BIS standard?

## A N S W E R

## isVªksfy;e vkSj izkd`frd xSl ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Lora= izHkkj½ ¼Jh /kesZUnz iz/kku½

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a)  to  (d)  :    The  Government,  through  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs),  has  been implementing Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme since 2003.  Under this programme, OMCs  sell  ethanol  blended  petrol  with  percentage  of  ethanol  upto  10%  as  per  BIS

specification  to  achieve  5%  ethanol  blending  across  the  country  as  a  whole.    In  order  to improve the availability of ethanol, the Government on 10.12.2014, inter-alia, decided to fix the delivered price of ethanol in the range of Rs.48.50 per litre to 49.50 per litre, depending upon the distance of distillery from the depot/installation of the OMCs, inclusive of all central and statutory levies,  transportation  cost  etc,  which  would  be  borne  by  the  ethanol  suppliers. Further, ethanol produced from other non-food feedstocks besides molasses, like cellulosic and ligno cellulosic materials including petrochemical route, has also been allowed to be procured subject to meeting the relevant BIS Standards.

Under Bio-diesel Purchase  policy,  OMCs  would  purchase  bio-diesel,  meeting  the prescribed  BIS  standard,  at  a  uniform  price,  as  may  be  decided  by  the  OMCs  from  time  to time, for blending with High Speed Diesel (HSD) to the extent of 5%, at identified 20 purchase centres across the country.

Government has issued notification on 10 th August, 2015 to allow the sale of Bio-diesel (B100) by private manufacturers to bulk consumers like Railways, State Transport Corporations and other bulk consumers.

(e)  :    During  the  sugar  year  2014-15,  till  30 th November,  2015,  against  the  requirement  of 128.17  crore  litres  of  ethanol,  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  were  able  to  procure  and blend 66.93 crore litres of ethanol with petrol.

(f)  &  (g) :    Ethanol  blended Petrol is being sold by Public Sector OMCs through their retail outlets.  Their retail selling prices are at par with the prevailing retail selling prices of Petrol and Diesel respectively.

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