📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vyacheslav Argenberg
Politics
Karnataka political tussle erupts over 30% ethanol blending target after video leak
✍️ India Today
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 01:39 PM
👁 17
A video outlining a plan to raise ethanol blending to 30% has sparked a political controversy in Karnataka, with opposition parties questioning the feasibility and cost.
A video that details a proposal to increase the ethanol content in gasoline to 30 percent in Karnataka has been widely shared on social media, prompting a heated debate among state politicians. The clip, which appears to be an internal briefing, suggests that the state intends to align its fuel policy with the central government's renewable‑fuel push.
Members of the opposition have seized on the footage, arguing that such a steep increase could raise fuel prices and strain the existing supply chain. They have called for a detailed cost‑benefit analysis and warned that premature implementation might burden consumers.
The ruling party, however, defended the proposal, stating that higher ethanol blending is essential for reducing dependence on imported crude oil and for meeting national environmental targets. Officials said the plan is still under review and that any decision will be taken after consulting industry stakeholders and assessing infrastructure readiness.
Ethanol blending has become a key component of India's energy strategy, with the central government urging states to boost the share of bio‑fuel in petrol. Karnataka’s move, if approved, would place it among the front‑runners in the country’s transition to greener fuels.
The state government has announced that a technical committee will examine the proposal and present its findings in the upcoming legislative session, signalling that the issue will remain on the political agenda for the near future.
Members of the opposition have seized on the footage, arguing that such a steep increase could raise fuel prices and strain the existing supply chain. They have called for a detailed cost‑benefit analysis and warned that premature implementation might burden consumers.
The ruling party, however, defended the proposal, stating that higher ethanol blending is essential for reducing dependence on imported crude oil and for meeting national environmental targets. Officials said the plan is still under review and that any decision will be taken after consulting industry stakeholders and assessing infrastructure readiness.
Ethanol blending has become a key component of India's energy strategy, with the central government urging states to boost the share of bio‑fuel in petrol. Karnataka’s move, if approved, would place it among the front‑runners in the country’s transition to greener fuels.
The state government has announced that a technical committee will examine the proposal and present its findings in the upcoming legislative session, signalling that the issue will remain on the political agenda for the near future.