Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Thursday alleged that he has been the target of a “paid political campaign” on social media amid mounting criticism of the government’s rollout of ethanol-blended fuel.
Addressing the 65th annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) in New Delhi, Gadkari sought to allay concerns over E20 petrol, a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% conventional fuel, stating that fears being circulated online are exaggerated and misleading.
“ARAI and the Supreme Court have given clarity on the E20 programme,” he said. “There was a campaign on social media to target me politically. It was a paid campaign, so don’t pay attention to it.”
The Minister emphasised that E20 is safe for use and has been approved by both regulatory authorities and automobile manufacturers.
Last month, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry also clarified that fears over fuel efficiency loss were “misplaced” and warned that reverting to pure petrol would undermine gains in pollution reduction and energy transition.
India is making significant progress in its Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, with a marked increase in both ethanol production and blending rates.
During the current Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2024–25, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) received 820.52 crore litres of ethanol during November–August period.
So far in ESY 2024–25, ethanol supply from grains stands at 526.01 crore litres, while supply from sugar-based feedstocks stands at 294.51 crore litres.
