Ethanol extracted from sugarcane as well as damaged food grains such as wheat and broken rice and agriculture waste has two positives on environment—it is less polluting and its use also provides farmers with an alternate source of income.
The government last year, had set a target for blending 10 percent ethanol in petrol by 2022, and 20 per cent by 2030.
Currently, about 8.5 per cent ethanol is mixed with petrol as against 1-1.5 per cent in 2014, according to PTI report. PM said adding ethanol procurement has risen from 38 crore litres to 320 crore litres.
Last year, oil companies spent Rs 21,000 crore on ethanol procurement, Modi said.
Besides helping the environment, the focus on ethanol is also leaving a positive impact on the lives of farmers, he said.
He went on to list India’s efforts to protecting climate change, saying renewable energy capacity has risen 250 per cent and India is now among the top five nations with the largest installed capacity.
“Economy and ecology can go together. This is the path India has chosen,” he said.
The above news was originally posted on economictimes.indiatimes.com
