New Delhi, Dec 18: Oil marketing companies (OMCs)
are finding that blending of petrol with ethanol is not
commercially viable, Minister of State for Petroleum Dinsha
Patel told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said
purchase of ethanol at Rs 28 per litre, a price demanded by
the sugar industry, is "not feasible".
"We are unable to purchase ethanol as there is a demand
for increasing the rate to Rs 28 per litre from Rs 21.50 per
litre," he said.
Government had directed OMCs to sell five per cent
ethanol blended petrol (EBP) subject to commercial viability
as per the Bureau of Indian Standards specifications across
the country, Patel said.
At present out of the 20 states and four Union
Territories, five per cent EBP programme is being implemented
in 14 states and UTs, he said.
As per the existing bio-diesel purchase policy, five per
cent bio-diesel can be blended with High Speed Diesel; Patel
said adding that public sector OMCs have not been able to
purchase bio-diesel at the identified purchase centres so far
as the parties who have expressed interest are not willing to
supply at the declared price of Rs 26.50 per litre.
In reply to a separate question, Minister of State for
Railways R Velu told the Lok Sabha that a total of 66
distressed bridges exist on Indian Railways system.
As many as 899 distressed bridges have been
rehabilitated, rebuilt, strengthened since 2001-02 including
22 this year till November, Velu said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, December 18, 2008, 00:00