India has met target of 10% ethanol blending in petrol 5 months ahead of schedule, says PM Modi

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The Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday that India has achieved the target of 10 percent ethanol blending in petrol, a good five months ahead of schedule. </p>
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आज पर्यावरण दिवस के दिन देश ने एक और उपलब्धि हासिल की है। भारत ने न केवल पेट्रोल में 10 प्रतिशत इथेनॉल ब्लेंडिंग के लक्ष्य को प्राप्त कर लिया है, बल्कि इस लक्ष्य पर तय समय से 5 महीने पहले पहुंच गया है। <a href="https://t.co/xX2C9HQveu">pic.twitter.com/xX2C9HQveu</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1533379635420995584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Addressing a World Environment Day programme on the "Save Soil Movement", PM Modi said that in 2014 when the BJP government came to power, ethanol blending was at a mere 1.5 per cent.</p>
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“There are three clear benefits of achieving this goal. First, it has led to a reduction of 27 lakh tonnes of carbon emission. Second, it has saved  foreign exchange worth Rs 41,000 crore and thirdly, farmers of the country have earned Rs 40,600 crore  in the last 8 years due to the increase in ethanol blending with petrol,” PM Modi explained.</p>
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The Prime Minister complimented the people, farmers and oil companies of the country on the achievement of this major milestone.</p>
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The Prime Minister further informed that India has achieved the target of sourcing 40 percent of the country's installed power generation capacity from non-fossil-fuel, nine years ahead of schedule.</p>
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"Solar energy capacity has increased by 18 times and policies like Hydrogen Mission and Circular economy-related policies, scrappage policy are examples of our commitment to environmental protection," he said.</p>
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PM Modi said that the policies introduced by the Centre in the past eight years have protected the environment in multifaceted ways.</p>
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He cited the Swachh Bharat Mission or the waste to wealth-related program, reduction of single-use plastic, one sun one earth, or ethanol blending program as examples of multi-dimensional efforts by India for the preservation of the environment.</p>
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The Prime Minister pointed out that the average carbon footprint of the world is about four tons per person per annum compared to just about 0.5 tons per person per annum in India.</p>
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He said that India is working on a long-term vision in collaboration with the international community to protect the environment and established organizations like Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and International Solar Alliance. The Prime MInister reiterated India's goal of Net-Zero by 2070.</p>
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He also called for increasing awareness regarding environment and soil protection and concluded by calling for a people's movement for creating 75 Amrit Sarovars in every district.</p>
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The Prime Minister informed that to save the soil, the government has focused on five main things. First- How to make the soil chemical free. Second- How to save the organisms that live in the soil, which are called Soil Organic Matter in technical language. Third- How to maintain soil moisture, how to increase the availability of water till it. Fourth- How to remove the damage that is happening to the soil due to less groundwater. And fifth, how to stop the continuous erosion of soil due to the reduction of forests.</p>
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He said main efforts are being undertaken in the agriculture sector to alleviate the problem of soil issues.</p>
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"Save Soil Movement" is a global movement to increase awareness about deteriorating soil health and to bring about a conscious response to improve it. The movement was started by Sadhguru in March 2022, who embarked on a 100-day motorcycle journey passing through 27 countries. The day marks the 75th day of the 100-day journey.</p>
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