Betul (South Goa), October 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said the Centre had no immediate plans to increase ethanol blending in petrol beyond the current level of 20 per cent. He also described claims about the effects of E20 fuel as a “contrived narrative” and alleged that misinformation was being spread about biofuels.
Speaking during an interaction at the inauguration of the 29th Energy Technology and Innovation Meet in Betul village, South Goa, Puri said the government had achieved its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending and had no immediate intention of raising it further.
“In so far as biofuels are concerned, yes, the 20 per cent ethanol blending was the target, and there is no desire, just now, to increase it by more than 20 per cent,” he said in response to a question.
The minister said misleading claims about E20 petrol were being circulated on social media. Referring to a post suggesting that vehicles had stopped running or suffered breakdowns because of the blended fuel, he said E20 was compatible with vehicles, while acknowledging that some older models could face problems.
“There was some problem with the older vehicles which were manufactured before 2003,” Puri said.
The government has promoted ethanol-blended petrol as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, a major contributor to India’s current account deficit. E20 fuel contains 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol and has already been rolled out across the country.
Puri said the introduction of E20 had helped India save ₹1.6 lakh crore, of which ₹1.4 lakh crore had gone to farmers.
“The farmers have become Urjadata (giver of energy) from Annadata (giver of food),” he said, highlighting the role of farmers in supporting the country’s biofuel programme.
Responding to reports of problems experienced by some E20 users, the minister suggested that transportation could have contributed to certain issues. He said the tankers used to transport blended fuel had also been used for other purposes.
Addressing allegations of engine damage, Puri said an individual had made such claims and that the automobile manufacturer concerned had filed a case against him.
The minister described the broader claims about E20 fuel as a “contrived narrative”. He argued that widespread engine damage would have been evident given the large number of vehicles using fuel stations daily.
“Six crore vehicles go to the dispensing stations every day. If engine damage was caused, you could have seen the vehicles all over the place,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Monday notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, allowing flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on blends of up to E100, which contains nearly 100 per cent ethanol.
Flex-fuel vehicles are designed to operate on higher ethanol blends, including E85, comprising 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol, and E100. Major automobile manufacturers, including Toyota, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor Company, are developing flex-fuel vehicles for the Indian market.
Puri was speaking at the inauguration of the 29th Energy Technology and Innovation Meet, organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in South Goa. The event’s theme was “Accelerating Energy Innovation From Research to Commercialisation”.
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