Overview
- The Ministry of Petroleum issued a Press Information Bureau clarification on Wednesday, June 24, that the Ethanol Blending Programme is scientifically validated and is being continuously monitored by government agencies and industry stakeholders.
- The government and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited rejected viral claims that sugarcane juice is mixed into petrol and that E20 attracts ants, saying fuel‑grade ethanol is distilled and purified to remove sugars and that denaturants in the ethanol repel insects.
- Officials said the E20 rollout followed technical evaluations and consultations with oil companies, automakers and fuel testing agencies and that no widespread engine failures or vehicle breakdowns attributable to E20 have been reported since introduction.
- The statement reiterated economic and energy‑security arguments for blending, noting the programme has created demand for agricultural feedstocks and helped save more than ₹1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange by reducing crude imports.
- Independent reporting highlighted that the PIB note did not address consumer economics; questions about E20’s lower energy density, real‑world fuel efficiency, mileage and per‑kilometre running costs remain unresolved for vehicle owners.