The Hindu Business Line : National policy on biofuels likely by March

New Delhi, Feb. 1 The Centre’s proposed National Policy on Biofuels is expected to be ready by March, the Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Mr Vilas Muttemwar, said here on Friday.

“The National Policy is likely to be ready within a month,” he told newspersons on the sidelines of an industry meet.

He said the policy, a draft of which was cleared by the Union Cabinet last year, was currently awaiting a final clearance from an inter-ministerial group on bio-fuels headed by the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar.

“We have already prepared the policy on bio-fuels,” Mr Muttemwar said, adding that the ministerial group would resolve issues related to the creation of a national biofuel board, taxation issues and designating the nodal ministry for the biofuels sector.

“The subject of biofuels is inter-disciplinary and multi-institutional... The main focus of the policy is on indigenous production,” Mr Muttemwar said.

The policy proposes two separate guidelines for bio-ethanol and bio-diesel segments. The Government has already allowed 5 per cent ethanol blending with petrol, while 10 per cent ethanol blending would be made effective from October. The proposed policy has accorded high priority to produce bio-diesel from non-edible oil seeds like jatropha, he said.

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