Decision would encourage production from grains like barley, maize, corn and rice: MinisterThe Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a modified scheme for interest subvention for ethanol production, expanding the scheme to include grain-based distilleries and not just molasses-based ones. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the decision would encourage ethanol production from grains like barley, maize, corn and rice. The expenditure on the scheme would be ₹8,470 crore, of which ₹4,573 crore was approved on Wednesday, he said. In a statement, the government said: “The proposed intervention would enhance production of 1G [first generation] ethanol from various feed stocks. It helps in achieving blending targets of ethanol with petrol and would promote ethanol as a fuel which is indigenous, non-polluting and virtually inexhaustible.

Source: The Hindu December 30, 2020 14:52 UTC