New Delhi, Jun 5 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the target of achieving 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol has been preponed to 2025.
Addressing the World Environment Day event, jointly organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through a video conference, the Prime Minister said India has taken another leap by releasing a detailed roadmap for the development of the ethanol sector on the occasion of World Environment Day.
He said ethanol has become one of the major priorities of 21st century India. The Prime Minister added that the focus on ethanol is having a better impact on the environment as well as on the lives of farmers.
He said the Government has resolved to meet the target of 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025.
Earlier the resolve was to achieve the target by 2030 which is now preponed by 5 years.
The Prime Minister added that till 2014, on an average, only 1.5 percent of ethanol could be blended in India which has now reached about 8.5 percent. In 2013-14, about 38 crore liters of ethanol were purchased in the country which has now grown to more than 320 crore liters.
He said a large part of this eightfold increase in ethanol procurement has benefitted the sugarcane farmers of the country.
The Prime Minister remarked that the 21st century India can get energy only from the modern thinking and modern policies of the 21st century. With this thinking, the government is continuously taking policy decisions in every field.
He said today, a lot of emphasis is being laid on building the necessary infrastructure for the production and purchase of ethanol in the country. Most of the ethanol manufacturing units are mostly concentrated in 4-5 states where sugar production is high but now Food Grain Based Distilleries are being established to expand this to the whole country. Modern technology based plants are also being set up in the country to make ethanol from agricultural waste.
The Prime Minister said India is a strong proponent of climate justice and is moving ahead with a lofty global vision like the founding of International Solar Alliance for realizing the vision of One Sun, One World, One Grid and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure initiative.
He noted India has been included in the top 10 countries of the world in the Climate Change Performance Index.
The Prime Minister added that India is also aware of the challenges that are being faced due to climate change and is also working actively.
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