Synopsis

CEA suggests offering a lower ethanol fuel blend. This move aims to address widespread consumer anger over the E20 fuel policy. Many car owners have voiced concerns about vehicle performance and potential damage. The adviser noted issues with older vehicles and rubber seals not rated for ethanol. New Delhi should protect the existing fleet while retrofitting programs catch up.

Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran backs lower blend of ethanol for old vehicles (Photo: An employee refills fuel at a pump)

NEW DELHI: India should bring back a fuel variant with a lower ​blend of ethanol, according to ​a top government adviser, the first senior official to call ​for wider fuel options amid growing consumer anger against a contentious policy change.

E20 - petrol with 20% ethanol blended in it - was rolled out last year and since April 1, it has been ‌the only ⁠fuel available for ⁠sale at gas stations across the country, part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans to reduce oil imports and help curb pollution.

Also read: Maruti, Tata, Mahindra raised E20 fuel contamination concerns, emails show

But the move has stoked widespread concerns about vehicular performance and ​damage to auto parts, with many car owners venting their frustrations on social media and calling on the government to make lower ethanol-blended fuel variants available.

"Restoring a ​lower blend at the pumps, say, E10, alongside the ⁠option to ‌buy E20, would calm most public concern," India's Chief Economic ​Adviser V ​Anantha Nageswaran said in an opinion piece in the Indian Express ⁠newspaper on Monday.

The piece was co-authored with Akash Poojari, ​a consultant in India's Department of Economic Affairs. They noted ​that their views were personal. It is, however, rare for top Indian officials to disagree publicly with a government position.

A spokesperson for India's oil ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment. The government said last month that there is no proposal to revert to lower blended petrol variants, such ‌as E0 or E10.

Also read: E20 petrol not sole reason for lower mileage, Centre says

The opinion piece follows a Reuters report last week that top automakers privately discussed their concerns about E20 contamination, ​days before ​an industry lobby sent ⁠a letter of complaint to the government, which was later withdrawn.

The opinion piece said the evidence does not support fears of damage to engines, but there were ​concerns about other impacts of E20 on older vehicles.

"India has roughly 75 to 80 million older two-wheelers ... older rubber seals that are not rated for ethanol are a separate problem ... retrofitting those seals... that way will take years," the opinion piece said.

New Delhi should "protect the existing fleet while the retrofit programme catches up," it said.