Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade has said that promoting ethanol production and its use as a fuel can help India reduce its exposure to volatility in international petroleum markets and geopolitical risks. Speaking in Mumbai on September 28, Bagade said India should aim to become a global leader in ethanol production, with sugarcane fields serving as a major source of ethanol.
Bagade was addressing four events held together in Mumbai — the Bharat Ethanol Forum, Global Turmeric Conclave, Maize Markets Summit & Expo, and Bio Resources & Circular Economy Summit & Expo. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari for supporting the growth of ethanol in India.
Recalling the early days of ethanol blending, Bagade said the programme began during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government when Ram Naik was Petroleum Minister. He recalled attending a pilot ethanol-blending programme at Manmad in Maharashtra while serving as the state Food and Civil Supplies Minister. 
Bagade said sugar mills need to diversify beyond sugar to remain financially viable. According to him, several cooperative sugar mills suffered losses when they depended mainly on sugar production. The development of cogeneration plants, ethanol units and in-house distilleries later provided mills with additional revenue streams. He said government support, including capital subsidies, helped accelerate the expansion of ethanol plants across Maharashtra and other parts of the country.
The Rajasthan Governor highlighted that ethanol has applications beyond fuel, including industrial chemicals, medicines, beverages and hand sanitisers. Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic, he said ethanol-based sanitiser production helped meet an urgent public need when demand surged. He also stressed that ethanol can be produced from sugarcane juice, molasses, maize and various forms of agricultural waste.
Maharashtra Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil said ethanol production is important for strengthening the rural economy, supporting sugar factories and helping mills make timely payments to sugarcane farmers. He also linked the increased use of ethanol and alternative energy sources with efforts to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution.
Pasha Patel, Chairman of the Maharashtra State Agricultural Price Commission and Executive Chairman of the Chief Minister’s Environment and Sustainable Development Task Force, said there is considerable misinformation surrounding ethanol. He recalled the introduction of 5% ethanol blending during the Vajpayee government and said the country subsequently moved towards higher blending levels, including E10 and E20.
Patel also referred to the government's push for flex-fuel vehicles capable of operating on higher ethanol blends. The speakers at the Mumbai event emphasised ethanol as a means of diversifying India's energy sources, supporting the sugar and agricultural sectors and reducing dependence on imported petroleum.
