'Propaganda against E20 was a paid campaign': Gadkari as govt paves way for E100 fuel
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari dismissed public backlash against E20 ethanol-blended fuel as a 'paid campaign.' The government has recently updated rules to allow flex-fuel vehicles to run on up to 100% ethanol to reduce fossil fuel dependence.
Why it matters
This highlights the government's aggressive push for alternative fuels and the tension between policy implementation and public concern over vehicle compatibility.
NEW DELHI: Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday described the backlash against petrol blended with 20% ethanol (E20) as a “paid campaign”. His remarks came a day after the government notified changes to motor vehicle rules allowing flex-fuel vehicles to run on blends containing up to 100% ethanol.Speaking at an event organised by industry body CII, Gadkari said the opposition to E20 had intensified about three months ago but had since subsided.“Three months ago, huge noise (khub halla) was made against the E20 (20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol) fuel; now rage against E20 fuel is over...It was a paid campaign,” news agency PTI quoted Gadkari as saying.The government on Monday notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, permitting flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on fuel containing up to E100, or nearly pure ethanol.Gadkari has repeatedly advocated greater use of ethanol as part of efforts to reduce…
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