Ministry of Petroleum
World Biofuel Day is observed every year on 10th August to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and to highlight the various efforts made by the Government in the biofuel sector. The World Biofuel Day is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for the last three years. This year, it is proposed to hold the World Biofuel Day programme at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 10th August, 2018. Hon’ble Prime Minister will be the Chief Guest for the inaugural session that day, and he will be joined by a galaxy of Central Ministers. The proposed participants in the programme are sugarcane and other farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs in biofuels, students of agriculture, science and engineering streams, Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, officers of Central & State Governments and companies involved in bio-energy sector, national and international media, and others. There will be separate interactive sessions on ethanol, biodiesel, bio-CNG and 2nd Generation biofuels after the inaugural session. Biofuels have the benefits of reducing import dependency on crude oil, cleaner environment, additional income to farmers and employment generation in rural areas. The biofuels programme is also in synergy with the Government of India initiatives for Make in India, Swachh Bharat and enhancing farmers’ income. Since 2014, the Government of India has taken a number of initiatives to increase blending of biofuels. The major interventions include administrative price mechanism for ethanol, simplifying the procurement procedures of OMCs, amending the provisions of Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 and enabling lignocelluloses route for ethanol procurement. These interventions of the Government of India have shown positive results. Ethanol blending in petrol has increased from 38 cr. litres in the ethanol supply year 201314 to an estimated 141 cr. litres in the ethanol supply year 2017-18. Bio-diesel blending in the country started from 10th August, 2015 and in the year 2018-19, Oil Marketing Companies have allocated 7.6 cr. litres of biodiesel. Oil PSUs are also planning to set up 12 Second Generation (2G) Bio-refineries to augment ethanol supply and address environmental issues arising out of burning of agricultural biomass. The Government approved the
National Policy on Biofuels-2018 in June 2018. The policy has the objective of reaching 20% ethanolblending and 5% biodiesel-blending by the year 2030. Among other things, the policy expands the scope of feedstock for ethanol production and has provided for incentives for production of advanced biofuels. Recently, the Government has increased the price of C-heavy molasses-based ethanol to Rs. 43.70 from Rs. 40.85 to give a boost to EBP Programme. Price of B-heavy molasses-based ethanol and sugarcane juice-based ethanol has been fixed for the first time at Rs. 47.40. The Government has reduced GST on ethanol for blending in fuel from 18% to 5%. The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas is making all efforts to increase ethanol supply for petrol and has taken several steps in this direction.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana achieves 5 core mark
Loksabha Speaker Smt. Sumitra Mahajan here handed over 5 croreth LPG connection under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana ( PMUY) to Smt. Takrdiran of Delhi in the Parliament House. Speaker Smt. Sumitra Mahajan while acknowledging the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and leadership of Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan appreciated the collective efforts of the officials of Ministry and the Oil Marketing Companies in achieving the target of 5 cr. Further, shared advantages of using LPG in terms of health benefits, time saved and ensuring safety of women. Modi Government launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on 1st May, 2016 and it is implemented by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through its Oil Marketing Companies i.e., IOC, BPCL and HPCL through their network of distributors across the country. Through PMUY, initially, 5 cr. BPL households were targeted for providing deposit free LPG connections to BPL households by 31st March, 2019. In a record time of 28 months for its launch, PMUY achieved the initial target of providing 5 cr. LPG connections to BPL households. In the current year, considering the huge success of the Scheme, target was revised to 8 crores with budgetary allocation of Rs 12,800 cr. States of Uttar Pradesh (87 lakh), West Bengal (67 lakh), Bihar (61 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (45 lakh), Rajasthan (37 lakh) and Odisha (30 lakh) have accounted for nearly 65% of the connections provided. 47% of the beneficiaries are from the weaker sections of the society i.e., SC/STs. PMUY has been recognized by World Health Organisation as one of the decisive intervention by the Government to address the Indoor Air Pollution which accounts for nearly 10 lakh deaths in a year in the country. PMUY aims at providing cleancooking fuel to the poor households, which are otherwise vulnerable to various health hazards associated with indoor air pollution and bringing in qualitative charges in the living standards. PMUY is under implementation in the all the States/ UTs. Beneficiaries are identified through Socio-Economic Caste Census List-2011 and in such cases where names are not covered under SECC list, beneficiaries are identified from seven categories which includes
SC/ST households, beneficiaries of PMAY(Gramin), Antyodaya Anna Yojana, Most Backward Classes, Forest Dwellers, Resident of Islands/ River Islands and Tea Garden & Extea Garden Tribes.
Impact of US sanctions on import of oil from Iran
Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has said that India has taken note of the re-imposition of US Sanctions on Iran in wake of the US pullout from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on May 8, 2018. The crude oil price fluctuation is a frequent market phenomenon and the price of crude oil is determined by many factors, including geo-political situations and demand and supply in the global market. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha today, the Minister said that the contribution of petroleum sector to central exchequer during the Financial Year 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 is Rs. 1,72,065 cr., Rs. 2,53,615 cr. and Rs. 3,34,534 cr. respectively.
Long waiting time to get refill under PMUY
Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has said that as on 30.07.2018, more than 4.94 cr. LPG connections have been released under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to BPL households. The connections released help in switching over to cooking using LPG in the place of conventional sources of cooking fuels such as firewood, traditional biomass, etc. Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have reported average LPG consumption of 3.5 refills per PMUY consumer. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha today OMCs have reported that nearly 80 % of PMUY beneficiaries who have completed 1 year of connection release, have come back for the second refill. The important steps taken to achieve the objective of adaption and use of LPG by BPL households, sustained basis include: 1. Launching of Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat to sensitise the rural LPG users on subjects like safe usage of LPG. 2. Audio visual media campaign on
advantages of use of LPG. 3. SMS campaign for beneficiaries who have not comeback for refill. 4. Display campaign by way of banners, standees and hoardings at public places 5. Consumer awareness activities viz. School/college student level education programmes, quizzes, drawing competitions, nukkadnataks, walkathon, cyclothon etc.
Imposition of VAT on petrol and diesel
Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has said that Article 279A (5) of the Constitution provides that Goods and Services Tax Council shall recommend the date on which goods and services tax shall be levied on petroleum crude, high speed diesel, motor spirit, natural gas and aviation turbine fuel. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha today, the Minister said that while, petroleum products are constitutionally included under GST, the date and rate on which GST shall be levied on such goods, shall be as per the decision of the GST Council.