India to target 20% ethanol-blended petrol by 2025, says Prime Minister Modi

• Modi was addressing the nation on World Environment Day.
• The Prime Minister also launched pilot ethanol dispensing stations in Pune.
• He also released a road map for ethanol blending in the country.

On World Environment Day, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country is targeting to have 20% ethanol-blended fuel by 2025, in a push towards a robust biofuel policy.

Modi was speaking via video conferencing in an event organised, jointly, by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Petroleum. On June 5, Saturday, the Prime Minister also launched three pilot E-100 ethanol dispensing stations in Pune, Maharashtra.

Modi also released the ‘Report of the expert committee on road map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025’.

The United Nations Organization (UNO) has declared the decade of 2021-30 as the UN decade on ecosystem restoration.

"Now ethanol has become one of the major priorities of 21st century India. The focus on ethanol is having a better impact on the environment as well as on the lives of farmers."

The 21st century India will get energy only from the modern thinking and modern policies of the 21st century, said Modi, adding "with this thinking, our government is continuously taking policy decisions in every field".

Modi also said that India is moving ahead with a big global vision whether it is the International Solar Alliance which fulfills the vision of One Sun, One World, One Grid, Or the coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure initiative.

He also mentioned India's awareness about the challenges that are being faced due to climate change, saying we are also "working actively" in this direction.

The Prime Minister said that our capacity for renewable energy has increased by more than 250 per cent in six-seven years and that "India currently has secured a place in the top five countries of the world in terms of installed renewable energy capacity".

"The capacity of solar energy has increased by about 15 times in the last six years."

Today, Modi said, India is setting an example in front of the world that when it comes to protecting the environment, it is not necessary to block development works while doing so.

"Economy and Ecology both can go together and move forward. This is the path India has chosen."

To protect the climate, the Prime Minister appealed to organise efforts to protect the environment.

"When every citizen of the country makes a united effort to maintain the balance of water, air and land, then only we will be able to give a safe environment to our coming generations."


(with inputs from IANS)