New Delhi, March 20 -- The Union government is planning to increase the blending of 20 per cent ethanol in petrol from 2030, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum Suresh Gopi said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The National Policy on Biofuels - 2018, as amended in 2022, inter-alia advanced the target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol to Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 from 2030.

Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) achieved the target of 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol in June 2022 i.e. five months ahead of the target during ESY 2021-22. The blending of ethanol further increased to 12.06 per cent in ESY 2022-23, 14.60 per cent in ESY 2023-24 and 17.98 per cent in ESY 2024-25 upto...