BLENDING OF ETHANOL WITH PETROL
LOK SABHA
Shri Ram Naik, Minister
of Petroleum & Natural Gas informed the Lok Sabha in a written
reply to a question today that the Ministry of Petroleum &
Natural Gas have decided in principle to supply 5% ethanol doped
petrol in the eight sugarcane producing States viz. Andhra Pradesh,
Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and
Uttar Pradesh in the first phase with effect from 1.1.2003 and
in the rest of the country in the second phase. "No computation
of foreign currency saving is possible at this stage", he added.
Shri Naik said a Memorandum
of Understanding was signed between Government of India and Government
of Brazil on 8th April 2002 which provides for sharing
of technology by Brazil for blending of ethanol with petrol/diesel
and giving consultancy on various related aspects. R&D studies
are in progress for blending of ethanol with diesel. Petrol is
not imported at present. However, foreign exchange could be earned
by export of petrol rendered surplus through its blending with
ethanol.
