Govt debunks claims of 27% ethanol blending in petrol

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has debunked reports of raising ethanol blending in petrol to 27 percent. Earlier, media reports stated that a high-level committee is likely to meet this week to finalise the roadmap to increase the ethanol content in petrol under the EBP Programme.

“It is to clarify that the ethanol blending in India is implemented as per the “Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25”, which sets out a yearly blending target up to Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 ending on 31st Oct, 2026. As of now, we are in #ESY 2024-25, which concludes on 31st Oct, 2025 and the blending target for upcoming ESY (from 1st Nov, 2025) remains 20%, as per the roadmap,” the ministry’s statement read of X (erstwhile Twitter).

For ethanol blending targets beyond ESY 2025-26, an inter-ministerial committee has been constituted by the government to recommend future targets. “Ethanol blending targets to be recommended by the IMC starts from ESY 2026-27, i.e. from 1st Nov, 2026. Thus, any claim about a planned increase to 27% blending at this stage is speculative, misleading, and mischievous,” the statement further read.

According to the ministry, the programme, till ESY 2023–24, has resulted in expeditious payment of more than ₹90,000 crore to farmers, savings of more than ₹1,00,000 crore of foreign exchange, net CO₂ reduction of about 576 lakh metric tonne and substitution of more than 190 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil.