PM Modi addresses World Environment Day event

E-100 pilot project launched in Pune for production and distribution of ethanol

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a World Environment Day event on June 5, jointly organized by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through a video conference. During the event the PM interacted with a farmer from Pune who shared his experience of organic farming and use of biofuel in agriculture.

In line with the theme for this year’s event, ‘Promotion of biofuels for a better environment’, Modi released the ‘Report of the Expert Committee on Road Map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025’ and also launched the ambitious E-100 pilot project in Pune for the production and distribution of ethanol across the country. Union Cabinet Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Singh Tomar, Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said that India has taken another leap by releasing a detailed roadmap for the development of the ethanol sector on the occasion of World Environment Day. He said that ethanol has become one of the major priorities of 21 century India and added that the focus on ethanol is having a better impact on the environment as well as on the lives of farmers. He said that the Government has resolved to meet the target of 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025. Earlier the resolve was to achieve the target by 2030 which is now advanced by 5 years. He added that till 2014, on an average, only 1.5 percent of ethanol could be blended in India which has now reached about 8.5 percent. In 2013-14, about 38 crore litres of ethanol were purchased in the country which has now grown to more than 320 crore litres. He said that a large part of this eightfold increase in ethanol procurement has benefitted the sugarcane farmers of the country.