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Agriculture & Food Management 261

Ethanol Blended with Petrol (EBP) Programme

7.69 The Government has now set 20 per cent ethanol blending target for mixing ethanol with
petrol to be achieved by 2025. It is estimated that the blending target at 10 per cent would be
achieved during 2022. With a view to achieve these targets, Government has allowed production
of ethanol from different feed stocks viz B-Hy & C-Hy molasses, cane juice, sugar syrup, sugar
and damaged food grains including surplus FCI rice, maize, etc. by the distilleries either attached
with sugar mills or standalone. Financial assistance in the form of interest subvention are also
provided to eligible distilleries for augmentation of ethanol production capacity in the country.
The ethanol supply under the EBP program, which was only 38 crore liters in Ethanol Supply
Year (ESY) 2013-14, has increased to 173.3 crore liters during ESY 2019-20 and is expected
to be more than 302 crore liters by the end of ESY 2020-21 to achieve approx. 8.1 per cent
blending. Ethanol blending target for ESY 2021-22 is 10 per cent which is to progressively
increase to 20 per cent by year 2025.
Storage

7.70 The storage capacity available with FCI, a part of warehousing capacity available with
Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs) and
capacity hired from private sector is used for storage of foodgrains procured for central pool
by the Government Agencies. The total storage capacity available with FCI and State Agencies
for storage of foodgrains as on 31.12.2021 was 961.73 LMT, comprising covered godowns of
792.81 LMT and Covered and Plinth (CAP) facilities of 168.92 LMT. Out of the total available
storage capacity of 961.73 LMT, the capacity of 463.24 LMT was with FCI and 498.49 LMT
with State Agencies. Moreover, as on 31.12.2021, a capacity of 144.34 LMT has been created
under the Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee Scheme in which construction of godowns are
undertaken in PPP mode.

7.71 Government is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for construction of godowns with
focus on augmenting storage capacity in the States of North Eastern (NE) Region and a few
other States. Under this Scheme, funds are released directly to FCI in the form of equity for
land acquisition and construction of storage godowns and infrastructure like railway sidings,
electrification, installation of weighbridge, etc. Funds are also released as grants-in-aid to the
Governments of the North-Eastern States including Jammu & Kashmir for construction of
intermediate storage godowns considering the storage gaps as well as difficult geographical &
climatic conditions in these States. During 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), a total capacity of
1,84,175 MT had been created in NE States and other than NE States. This scheme has further
been extended for five years upto 31.03.2022. A total capacity of 82,760 MT (65,870 MT by FCI
and 16,890 MT by State Governments) has been created from 01.04.2017 to 31.12.2021.

7.72 Government of India has also approved an action plan/road map for construction of
steel silos in the country in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode for modernizing storage
infrastructure and improving shelf life of stored foodgrains. Under the plan for silo development,
upto 31.12.2021, 29.25 LMT capacity in various locations throughout the country have been
awarded. Out of which, a capacity of 11.125 LMT is completed and remaining are under various
stages of development.