
Sugar sector welcomes support for ethanol production
The Hindu
The government’s decision to impose an additional differential Excise Duty of ₹2 a litre on unblended fuel from October 1 will boost the Ethanol Blending Programme, according to the Indian Sugar Mills
The government’s decision to impose an additional differential Excise Duty of ₹2 a litre on unblended fuel from October 1 will boost the Ethanol Blending Programme, according to the Indian Sugar Mills’ Association (ISMA).
According to a notification of the Department of Revenue dated February 1, fuel to be categorised as blended (with ethanol/ methanol) has to conform to BIS specifications. The actual off-take from oil manufacturing companies (OMCs) will improve to achieve the blended fuel percentage, which is currently at about 10 % and avoid the additional Excise Duty, the Association said in a press release.
In a move to support the Ethanol Blending Programme, the government has kept a provision of ₹ 160 crore in the revised estimate for 2021-2022 and another ₹.300 crore in the budget estimate for 2022-23 for extending financial assistance to sugar mills for augmentation of ethanol production capacity. This will boost setting up of more ethanol distilleries in the country.

The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday ordered the issue of a notice to the State government on a PIL petition, which had complained about disturbances caused to people residing in the localities around the National Public School situated in Rajajinagar 5th block due to use of loudspeakers with high volume in the school and parking of school buses in residential areas.












