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Hardeep Singh Puri Dismisses E20 Fuel Issue Reports as Misrepresentation

E20 fuel ethanol blending Hardeep Singh Puri

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Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that reports of E20 fuel issues are a misrepresentation, with automobile manufacturers and consumers accepting the blend.
The government will consider E25 fuel after tests and consultations, while E85 rollout has begun.
India aims for 20% ethanol blending to cut import dependence and support farmers.

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India is progressively increasing ethanol blending in petrol to reduce its dependence on fuel imports and provide support to domestic farmers. The current focus is on E20 fuel, with considerations for higher blends like E25 and E85.

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Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday dismissed reports of customer issues with E20 fuel as a "misrepresentation" and said the government would consider moving to an E25 ethanol blend only after completing tests and consulting automobile manufacturers.

The minister said both vehicle manufacturers and consumers have accepted E20 fuel, adding that the transition to higher ethanol blends is being carried out in phases.

Puri rejects concerns over E20 fuel

Responding to reports of problems linked to 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, Puri said automobile manufacturers and vehicle service providers have not reported any difficulties.

"The automobile manufacturers, as well as the people who service these vehicles, all say there is no difficulty. Why this sudden interest?" he said, describing the reports as a "misrepresentation".

Puri added that India has gradually increased ethanol blending, noting that the country used E15 fuel for three-and-a-half years before introducing E20 in April last year.

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Millions of vehicles already using E20

The minister said around 20 crore two-wheelers and 20 lakh four-wheelers are currently operating on ethanol-blended petrol.

According to Puri, automobile manufacturers are comfortable with E20, while consumers have also accepted the fuel.

Government to evaluate E25 after testing

Puri said the government is not rushing a decision on introducing E25 fuel.

He said tests on the higher ethanol blend are underway and will take time to complete. Once the findings are available, the government will evaluate the results and discuss them with stakeholders and automobile manufacturers before taking a decision.

The minister added that such a move would be based on technical assessments and industry consultations.

E85 rollout underway

Puri also said the rollout of E85 fuel has recently begun and will take time as new petrol pumps and related infrastructure need to be developed.

The government aims to achieve 20 per cent ethanol blending across the country under its Ethanol Blended Petrol programme to reduce dependence on fuel imports and support farmers. According to Puri, the transition is progressing in phases based on technical data and industry feedback.