Cabinet hikes ethanol prices by over Rs 5/litre to Rs 52.43
New Delhi, Sep 12 : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved a hike in the price for procurement of ethanol by oil marketing companies (OMCs) by over Rs 3 increasing the rate for the clean fuel derived out of 'B' heavy molasses from the current Rs 47.13 per litre to Rs 52.43.
Briefing reporters here following a cabinet meeting, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the CCEA had also decided to increase the ex-mill price of ethanol derived fully from sugarcane juice at Rs 59.13 per litre for those mills who will divert thier total sugarcane juice for ethanol production without producing any sugar.
A Petroleum Ministry release said the cabinet approved prices are valid for the sugarcane season from December 2018 to November 2019.
"The cabinet has given its approval to revise/fix the price of ethanol derived from B heavy molasses/partial sugarcane juice and fix a higher price for 100 per cent sugarcane juice based ethanol for the forthcoming sugar season 2018-19 during ethanol supply year from 1st December 2018 to 30th November 2019 to Rs 52.43 per litre (from prevailing price of Rs.47.13 per litre)," it said.
"The cabinet has also decided to fix the ex-mill price of ethanol derived from 100% sugarcane juice at Rs 59.13 per litre, from prevailing price of Rs 47.13, for those mills which will divert 100 per cent of sugarcane juice for production of ethanol, thereby not producing any sugar," Pradhan said.
The government said the GST and transportation charges will also be payable, while OMCs have been advised to fix realistic transportation charges so that long distance transportation of ethanol is not disincentivised.
"The decision will serve multiple purposes of reducing excess sugar in the country, increasing liquidity with the sugar mills for settling cane farmers' dues and making higher ethanol available for the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme," he said.
All distilleries will be able to take benefit of the scheme and a large number of them are expected to supply ethanol for the EBP programme, he added.
The EBP programme, started in 2003, aims to bring down India's imports of petroleum products, for the country that imports over 80 per cent of its oil requirements.
The statement noted that as compared to ethanol derived from C heavy molasses, diversion of B heavy molasses reduces the sugar content by about 20 per cent and increases ethanol availability by about 100 per cent.
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Ukrainian president welcomes Russian overtures, but says ceasefire must come before peace talks
Kyiv, May 11 (AP): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed Russia's offer for direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start.
Zelenskyy, writing on X, called Russian President Vladimir Putin's counter-offer to start talks without a ceasefire a “positive sign”, and said “the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time".
He added, however, that "the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire”.
Meanwhile, Russia resumed mass drone attacks in Ukraine early on Sunday, after its self-declared 3-day pause expired.
Russia launched 108 attack drones and simulator drones from six different directions, Ukraine's Air Force said on Sunday. It said 60 drones were shot down and another 41 simulator drones failed to reach targets due to Ukrainian countermeasures.
The Ukrainian president appeared to insist on his proposal to start a 30-day unconditional ceasefire on Monday. “There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire — full, lasting, and reliable — starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet,” Zelenskyy said.
Putin in remarks to the media overnight effectively rejected that ceasefire offer and proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday instead “without preconditions”. He said a ceasefire might be agreed on during the negotiations.
Putin's counteroffer came after leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure on Moscow if it does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that they offered on Saturday in a strong show of unity with Kyiv.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in comments aired by Russian state TV on Sunday, called Putin's proposal “very serious” and said it “confirms a real intention for find a peaceful solution”.
“The goals of the talks are clear: to eliminate the root causes of the conflict. And also to ensure the interests of the Russian Federation,” Peskov said.
It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war. The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 11, 2025
There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single…
