Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The central government has declared the Ethanol Blending Programme safe and clarified that using E20 fuel will have no impact on the validity of vehicle insurance policies, while slamming deliberate attempts to spread misinformation about the programme on social media.
Viral Claims About Insurance Dismissed
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry stated that concerns being circulated on social media — suggesting that using E20 fuel could invalidate vehicle insurance policies — have been found to be false after discussions with all relevant stakeholders. The ministry urged the public not to be misled by such claims.
Old Videos Being Shared as New to Create Fear
The ministry flagged that some people on social media are deliberately spreading confusion by sharing old photos and videos as recent ones to unnecessarily frighten the public and gain more views. Viral videos showing ants gathering near fuel tanks or sugarcane juice being directly mixed into petrol were called out as fake. The ministry clarified that ethanol is produced through an industrial process and contains no residual sugar.
Programme Running Successfully Since 2003
The Ethanol Blending Programme was launched in 2003 with the goals of reducing crude oil imports, strengthening energy security, and improving the environment. The government stated that since the introduction of E20 petrol, no major complaints of engine damage or vehicle breakdown due to ethanol have been reported. The programme has helped India save approximately Rs 1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange on crude oil imports and has increased demand for farmers’ crops.
Global Practice, Not a New Experiment
The ministry emphasised that ethanol blending is a globally accepted practice successfully implemented in countries including the United States, Brazil, and Japan, and is not an untested experiment being tried in India alone.
