India's ethanol blended petrol programme balances food security, farmer welfare and energy security

The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme is presented as a national initiative that safeguards food security, supports farmers and enhances energy security. The Ministry states that only surplus, damaged or unfit food grains—after meeting Public Distribution System, National Food Security Act and buffer‑stock obligations—are diverted to ethanol production, and that the programme increasingly uses second‑generation ethanol from agricultural residues. It claims that without ethanol blending, petrol would have cost about ₹125 per litre during a global oil price surge, whereas consumers paid ₹94.77 per litre, saving roughly ₹30 per litre. Reported outcomes include about ₹1.97 lakh crore in foreign‑exchange savings, substitution of over 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude‑oil imports, reduction of more than 950 lakh metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions and payments of over ₹1.66 lakh crore to farmers and distillers.