To highlight the importance of non-fossil fuels as alternative to the normally used fossil fuel, the World Biofuel Day is observed every year. The World Biofuel Day also highlights the efforts that the governments have made in this sector. In India, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been observing the World Biofuel day since the last three years.
This year, the ministry proposes to organise the World Biofuel Day programme at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on 10 August 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest for the inaugural session, accompanied by a group of central ministers.
Sugarcane and other farmers, scientists, biofuel entrepreneurs, agriculture students, parliamentarians, ambassadors, central and state government officials, companies involved in the bio- energy sector, national and international media are expected to participate in the programme. Biofuels offer many benefits such as reducing import dependency on crude oil, cleaner environment, additional income to farmers, and employment generation in rural areas. The biofuels programme is in sync with Government of India initiatives such as Make In India, Swachh Bharat and enhancing farmers’ revenue.
The Government of India has taken many initiatives to blend biofuels, including administration of price mechanism on ethanol, amending the provisions of Industries Development and Regulation Act, 1951 and facilitating the lignocellulosic route for ethanol procurement.
Having reduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%, the petroleum and natural gas ministry is making efforts to increase ethanol supply for petrol and has taken many steps in this direction.
