Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said that India is considering increasing its ethanol blending target to more than 20%.
Speaking at the Advantage Assam 2.0 investment summit in Guwahati, he noted that the country has already achieved a 19.6% ethanol blending rate.
“We are considering blending more than 20% biofuel. A group under NITI Aayog has already been established to explore this possibility,” he said.
Despite developmental challenges, all fossil fuel production companies in India are expected to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, Puri added.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the Centre’s commitment to strengthening the state’s energy infrastructure. “At the last Advantage Assam Summit, the Ministry of Petroleum announced plans to extend a 1,600 km gas grid from Barauni to Numaligarh,” he said.
“Although Assam accounts for 14% of India’s total gas production, our domestic output meets only 7-8% of the country’s demand due to rapid industrialization and the expansion of city gas services. The completion of the 1,600 km pipeline and the Northeast gas grid in record time has dispelled the misconception that Assam’s gas is being diverted elsewhere. Instead, we are now importing gas from other parts of the country and the global market for Assam’s development,” he added.
The session was organized as a strategic forum to strengthen Assam’s role in India’s Act East Policy. It focused on enhancing regional connectivity, boosting trade, and fostering cross-border collaboration, reinforcing Assam’s position as the gateway to the policy.
IANS
