Nitin Gadkari says E20 fuel protests were paid propaganda

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that recent public uproar against the blending of 20 percent ethanol in petrol was paid propaganda. Speaking at an event organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry, he noted that four crore cars and twenty crore two-wheelers have run on E20 fuel since 2022 without vehicle breakdowns.

Policy Updates

The government notified an amendment to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules of 1989 on Monday, allowing flex-fuel vehicles to run on up to E100 fuel. This new rule does not mean standard petrol cars can use E100. Only vehicles designed by original equipment manufacturers as flex-fuel vehicles can use E85 or E100.

Traffic Rules

Gadkari also directed authorities not to issue traffic fines for vehicle speeds up to 120 kilometers per hour. For speeds exceeding 120 by up to twenty percent, drivers will not be penalized, but fines will apply beyond that limit. Additionally, he asked for industry support to implement an artificial intelligence-based advanced traffic management system to check lane discipline.

Context

Ethanol blending and flex-fuel regulations are part of broader government efforts to reduce crude oil imports and promote cleaner domestic energy sources. These policy changes directly impact automobile manufacturers, fuel producers, and daily commuters on national highways.