Govt plans blended fuel programme: Naik

NEW DELHI: Government said it intends to extend the use of blended fuel on a massive scale in tune with its mission to develop alternate future fuels.
"We intend to extend the programme of blended fuel across the country and also increase the percentage of blending in petrol," Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said inaugurating the 3rd International Symposium on Fuels and Lubricants'' organised by India Oil Corporation here.
Blended petrol should be the future focus area, he said and added "we need to blend more ethanol in petrol".
Comparing usage status of blended fuel in India with Brazil where 80 per cent blended petrol are being use, Naik said "we use more of diesel than petrol, but need to develop blended petrol as alternate fuel."
Use of blended petrol will reduce heavy consumption of diesel, he said and stressed on extensive research activities as to how more percentage of ethanol could be used in diesel.
"Developing alternate fuels which are efficient, unadulterated and price competitive should be the theme for future research and development in petroleum sector," he said.
On use of alaternate fuels in transport sector, he said "it has been made mandatory for five per cent blending of ethanol in petrol in nine states and four union territories from January first next year".
The mandate was made after success of a pilot project on ethanol blending which was launched in 2001 at two locations in Maharashtra and one location in Uttar Pradesh, he added.