CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -1. Government has been implementing Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme throughout the country except Union Territories of Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands, wherein OMCs sell petrol blended with 10% ethanol.

Detailed explanation-2: -Petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol was rolled out on Monday, February 6, 2023, at select petrol pumps in 11 states and union territories as part of a programme to increase use of biofuels to cut emissions as well as dependence on foreign exchange-draining imports.

Detailed explanation-3: -Achieving this target early made the government advance by five years the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending to 2025, the Cooperation Minister said. “The production of ethanol is going to change the entire economy of the petroleum sector in the coming days.

Detailed explanation-4: -Officials said 20 per cent ethanol blended petrol will be available at select petrol pumps in the country by April 2023 and it will be progressively spread to other parts of the country. As much as 10.17 per cent of ethanol is being doped in petrol now, up from 8.10 per cent in 2020-21 and 5 per cent in 2019-20.

Detailed explanation-5: -File photo for representation. India, the world’s third biggest oil importing and consuming nation, achieved the target to blend 10% sugarcane-extracted ethanol in petrol ahead of schedule, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.