No official complaints on E20 fuel damage, Telangana tells Council

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has stated that the state's Transport Department has not received any complaints from vehicle owners or automobile experts regarding damage caused by ethanol-blended petrol. Responding to a question from MLC Prof. Kodandaram in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, the Minister said that in the absence of such reports, there is no scope for the department to initiate regulatory or corrective measures.

Addressing concerns about the fuel's performance, Mr. Prabhakar acknowledged that ethanol has a lower energy content than petrol. He noted that vehicles using E20 petrol, which contains 20% ethanol, could see a 3-5% reduction in pickup and mileage. However, he maintained that regular servicing would allow vehicles to operate without major issues.

The Minister explained that the E20 programme is part of the Central government's policy and is being monitored by oil marketing companies. E20 petrol has been available nationwide since April 1, 2026. He clarified that safety and certification requirements for vehicles using this fuel fall under the Central Motor Vehicles Act. While vehicles manufactured from April 1 onward are designed for E20, owners of older vehicles may need minor modifications or replacement of certain spare parts.

Highlighting the advantages of ethanol blending, Mr. Prabhakar cited better prices and additional income for farmers, reduced pollution, and savings in foreign exchange. He pointed out that producing ethanol from sugarcane juice, molasses, paddy, and maize creates a market for agricultural produce.

Addressing environmental concerns, the Minister said modern ethanol plants established with Central government support include pollution-control measures. Telangana currently has seven ethanol factories, including two or three in Karimnagar district. He noted that the Agriculture and Excise departments are facilitating agreements between oil companies and entrepreneurs for new plants, while the Transport Department has no role in their establishment. He appealed to industrialists to set up plants with adequate pollution controls.

On a related note, Mr. Prabhakar mentioned that Telangana's EV policy, which offers a 100% tax exemption to buyers, is being implemented successfully. He also appealed to Legislative Council Chairman Sukhender Reddy to consider extending concessions to members purchasing electric vehicles.