India To Boost Ethanol Production: Nitin Gadkari Amid Rising Fuel Prices

Automobile makers are producing flex-fuel engines in Brazil, Canada and the US, providing an alternative to customers to use 100 per cent petrol or 100 per cent bio-ethanol, Nitin Gadkari said.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said India is going to increase the production of alternative fuel ethanol as people are facing problems due to a hike in petrol and diesel prices. Addressing a conference organised by BRICS Network University virtually, Mr Gadkari said that automobile makers are producing flex-fuel engines in Brazil, Canada and the US - providing an alternative to customers to use 100 per cent petrol or 100 per cent bio-ethanol. "Now Indian production (of ethanol) we are going to increase because of the rise in petrol prices, people are facing a lot of problems," Mr Gadkari said while explaining that the use of ethanol is cost effective. Petrol prices in some parts of the country, including in cities like Mumbai and Hyderabad, have crossed Rs 100 per litre mark due to multiple fuel price hikes over the past six weeks. Petrol retails at over Rs 100 per litre mark in seven states and union territories -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Ladakh.