New Delhi, March 3: In the global energy landscape, India stands strong as the third largest biofuel producer, driving the shift towards cleaner and renewable energy, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, said on Monday.

The minister highlighted in a post on X social media platform that “India has achieved 19.6 per cent ethanol blending in petrol as of January this year and is set to achieve 20 per cent very soon – five years ahead of the original 2030 schedule, reducing fuel imports and emissions.”

During the last 10 years the ethanol blending initiatives have enhanced farmer incomes as it is made from sugarcane, increased rural employment, reduced CO2 emissions equivalent to planting 1.75 crore trees and resulted in savings of Rs 85,000 crore worth of foreign exchange, according to official estimates.

Public sector oil companies, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, have been at the forefront of this endeavour, introducing various blends of Ethanol with Petrol across the country.

The oil marketing companies have signed agreements with 131 dedicated ethanol plants. These plants are expected to add an annual production design capacity of 745 crore litres. OMCs have also invested in increasing storage capacity and allied infrastructure for handling higher blending percentages.

The minister also highlighted that, “E100 fuel is now available at 400+ outlets nationwide, bringing India closer to a cleaner, greener future. A journey of progress, innovation, and sustainability.”

The Petroleum Minister first launched Ethanol (E) 100 fuel at 183 outlets of Indian Oil in March 2024. With its high-octane rating, typically between 100-105, Ethanol 100 proves ideal for high-performance engines, ensuring improved efficiency and power output all while minimising environmental impact.

Moreover, Ethanol 100’s can be used in a wide array of vehicles, including flex-fuel vehicles designed to run on gasoline, ethanol, or any blend of the two, showcasing its practicality and potential to become a mainstream fuel option with the right infrastructure in place.

“From the quiet town of Digboi to the world’s top energy markets, India’s petroleum journey is a story of resilience & progress, guided by the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Puri said.

In this context, he highlighted that India has now become the 4th largest in the world in LNG terminal capacity, ensuring a stable and secure energy supply.

The country also has the 4th largest global refining capacity in the world, reinforcing its role as a major energy hub. This has also enabled India to become the 7th largest exporter of refined petroleum products, strengthening global trade and fuel security, the minister added.

New Delhi, March 1: India has emerged as a major automobile producer and exporter and a similar transformation has been observed in electronics manufacturing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Saturday.

Speaking at a media event here, PM Modi said that India is manufacturing everything — from semiconductors to aircraft carriers — and that the world wants to learn about India’s success in detail.

“India’s leadership in various sectors is the result of years of hard work and systematic policy decisions”, said PM Modi, highlighting the progress made over the past 10 years, where incomplete bridges and stalled roads have now transformed into dreams moving forward at a new pace with good roads and excellent expressways.

The Prime Minister emphasised that reduced travel time and costs have provided the industry with an opportunity to decrease logistics turnaround time, benefiting the automobile sector significantly. He noted the increased demand for vehicles and the encouragement of EV production, adding that today, India has emerged as a major automobile producer and exporter.

“India is not only providing products to the world but is also becoming a trusted and reliable partner in the global supply chain”, PM Modi noted.

Over the past decade, electricity has reached more than 2.5 crore families for the first time, leading to increased demand and production of electronic equipment.

PM Modi highlighted that affordable data has boosted the demand for mobile phones, and the increased availability of services on mobile phones has led to higher consumption of digital devices.

Programmes like PLI schemes have turned this demand into an opportunity, making India a major electronics exporter.

Stressing that not only millets but also India’s turmeric has gone from local to global, with India supplying over 60 per cent of the world’s turmeric, PM Modi remarked that India’s coffee has also achieved global recognition, making India the seventh-largest coffee exporter in the world. The Prime Minister also emphasised that India’s mobile phones, electronic products, and medicines are gaining global recognition.

New Delhi, March 1: Out of the 1,200 central and state government schemes, 1,100 are now under the ambit of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday.

FM Sitharaman said that this ensures that funds are directly transferred to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, eliminating middlemen and reducing delays.

“Everything is going via direct payment, so there are no middlemen, no unborn children getting allowances,” the minister said, while speaking at the 49th Civil Accounts Day celebrations in the national capital.

The Finance Minister added that everybody who receives the fund has a biometric-verified account into which the money goes.

“The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) has played a crucial role in streamlining DBT,” she stated, noting that the system enables the government to ensure that the funds reach the intended beneficiaries without any irregularities.

FM Sitharaman further stated that PFMS currently serves around 60 crore beneficiaries, making it the largest financial management system of its kind in the world. Its end-to-end digitalisation feature has strengthened financial governance and enhanced accountability in fund distribution.

The PFMS interacts with over 250 external systems, including the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), PM Kisan, and the Tax Information Network (TIN 2.0). This integration allows smooth financial transactions and supports the government’s vision of cooperative federalism, the Finance Minister said.

In addition, PFMS has connected financial systems across states, working with 31 state treasuries and over 40 lakh programme implementing agencies.

“With its extensive network, the system plays a key role in ensuring that government funds are utilised effectively and reach those who need them the most,” Sitharaman said.

“When we talk about PFMS integrating systems. What better example can there be of cooperative federalism if only we recognise, all 31 state treasuries and over 40 lakh programme implementing agencies enabling unified financial management across states,” she said.