INDIA should bring back a petrol variant with a lower ethanol blend alongside E20, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has said, becoming the first senior government official to call for wider fuel options amid concerns over the policy.
E20, petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol, was rolled out last year and has been the only fuel available at petrol stations across the country since April 1. The policy is part of prime minister Narendra Modi's plans to reduce oil imports and curb pollution.
The move has led to concerns among vehicle owners over vehicle performance and possible damage to auto parts. Many car owners have raised their concerns on social media and called for petrol with lower ethanol blends to be made available.
"Restoring a lower blend at the pumps, say, E10, alongside the option to buy E20, would calm most public concern," Nageswaran said in an opinion piece published in the Indian Express on Monday.
The piece was co-authored by Akash Poojari, a consultant in India's Department of Economic Affairs. The authors said their views were personal. It is rare for senior Indian officials to publicly disagree with a government position.
A spokesperson for India's oil ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The government said last month that there was no proposal to bring back lower-blended petrol variants such as E0 or E10.
The opinion piece came after a Reuters report last week said top automakers had privately discussed concerns about E20 contamination. This was days before an industry lobby sent a letter of complaint to the government, which was later withdrawn.
The opinion piece said available evidence did not support fears of damage to engines, but raised concerns about the impact of E20 on older vehicles.
"India has roughly 75 to 80 million older two-wheelers ... older rubber seals that are not rated for ethanol are a separate problem ... retrofitting those seals... that way will take years," the opinion piece said.
New Delhi should "protect the existing fleet while the retrofit programme catches up," it said.
(With inputs from agencies)
