Petroleum Sector

The government has not yet decided to raise ethanol blending in petrol beyond the current 20 per cent level, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi told the Rajya Sabha on Monday, adding that any future increase would follow further scientific study and consultation with industry. "So far, no decision has been taken by the government for increasing ethanol blending with petrol beyond 20 per cent," Gopi said in a written reply to a question. Any move higher would come "only after detailed scientific and technical studies and consultations with all relevant stakeholders, including automobile manufacturers, Oil Marketing Companies and research institutions," he said. Gopi said India reached the 20 per cent blending target five years ahead of schedule, with average blending rising from about 1.53 per cent in 2013-14 to 20 per cent in the 2025-26 supply year, after more than two decades of phased rollout. Since 2014-15, he said, the programme has saved over 1.97 ...

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The West Asia crisis has intensified concerns over India's ability to withstand global oil supply disruptions

A tripartite pact - amid the promise of removing Afspa from almost all of the Northeast - revives hydrocarbon exploration along the Assam-Nagaland border after decades of dormancy

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