India to achieve 20% ethanol blending target in 2 months: Nitin Gadkari

India will achieve its target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in the next two months, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.

The practice of blending ethanol with petrol began in 2001 as a pilot project.

"We will achieve this target of 20 per cent ethanol blending in the next two months. Use of E20 (petrol with 20 per cent ethanol) will help in reducing pollution," Gadkari said while speaking at an event.

The road transport and highways minister said Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and Hyundai Motors have started manufacturing vehicles that run on 100 per cent bio-ethanol.

Gadkari said pollution is a serious problem in the country as 42 Indian cities are among 50 most-polluted cities in the world.

"We import fossil fuels worth Rs 22 lakh crore, which is also causing pollution," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the higher 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol in 2023.

In the first phase, 15 cities was covered.

Use of ethanol, extracted from sugarcane as well as broken rice and other agri produce, will help India -- the world's third largest oil consumer -- bring down its reliance on overseas shipments.

India is 85 per cent dependent on imports for meeting its oil needs.

Use of E20 leads to an estimated reduction of carbon monoxide emissions by about 50 per cent in two-wheelers and about 30 per cent in four-wheelers compared to E0 (neat petrol).

The target of achieving average 10 per cent blending was achieved in June 2022, much ahead of the target date of November 2022.

Automobile engines can run on E20 with minor modifications in engine for corrosion, etc.