**Executive Summary:**
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas addresses initiatives to boost biofuel production nationwide, including the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program and the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative. It details the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) 2G bamboo-based biorefinery project in Assam, its costs, implementation, and employment generation. The project, approved in June 2020, is nearing completion and aims to produce ethanol from bamboo.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **National Biofuel Initiatives:**
* Promotion of ethanol blending in petrol under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme.
* Launch of Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) to produce compressed biogas (CBG) from waste biomass.
* Expansion of feedstock for ethanol production and administered pricing for sugarcane-based ethanol.
* Reduced GST rate (5%) on ethanol for the EBP Programme and Ethanol Interest Subvention Schemes (EISS).
* Subvention scheme for Cooperative Sugar Mills to convert distilleries into multifeedstock plants.
* Long Term Offtake Agreements (LTOAs) between Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and Dedicated Ethanol Plants (DEPs).
* Financial support via the Pradhan Mantri JIVAN Yojana for Advanced Biofuels projects using lignocellulosic biomass.
* **Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) Biofuel Project:**
* NRL is establishing a 2G bamboo-based biorefinery in Assam through Assam BioEthanol Private Limited (ABEPL).
* Project approved in June 2020 with an initial cost of Rs. 1750 crore.
* Implemented through Engineers India Limited (EIL).
* Revised project cost is Rs. 4930 crore, with Rs. 4200 crore already spent.
* The project is mechanically completed and in advanced commissioning.
* **Employment Generation (NRL Project):**
* Construction Phase: 30 direct jobs, 2000 indirect jobs (Total: 2030).
* Operation Phase: 150 direct jobs, 50000 indirect jobs (Total: 50150).
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs):**
* *Impact:* Involved in Long Term Offtake Agreements (LTOAs) for ethanol procurement.
* *Action Required:* Fulfill obligations under LTOAs with Dedicated Ethanol Plants (DEPs).
* **Ethanol Producers:**
* *Impact:* Beneficiaries of Ethanol Interest Subvention Schemes (EISS) and administered pricing.
* *Action Required:* Leverage available schemes to enhance ethanol production capabilities.
* **Cooperative Sugar Mills:**
* *Impact:* Opportunity to convert existing distilleries into multifeedstock plants via subvention schemes.
* *Action Required:* Assess feasibility and apply for subvention schemes to upgrade facilities.
* **Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL):**
* *Impact:* Overseeing the implementation of the 2G bamboo-based biorefinery project.
* *Action Required:* Complete the commissioning phase and commence production.
* **Engineers India Limited (EIL):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementing the NRL biofuel project.
* *Action Required:* Ensure successful completion and handover of the project.
Key Entities Referenced
Numaligarh Refinery Limited: An Indian oil and gas company that is undertaking a biofuel project.
National Policy on Biofuels: A government policy promoting the blending of ethanol in petrol.
Ethanol Blended Petrol EBP Programme: A program to blend ethanol with petrol with multiple objectives.
SATAT Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation: A government initiative to establish an ecosystem for production and use of compressed biogas (CBG).
Pradhan Mantri JIVAN Jaiv Indhan Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran Yojana: A government scheme to provide financial support for setting up Advanced Biofuels projects.
Assam BioEthanol Private Limited ABEPL: A joint venture company setting up a 2G bamboo based biorefinery project in Assam.
Assam: A state in India where the Numaligarh Refinery Limited is setting up a biorefinery project.
Engineers India Limited EIL: The agency implementing the biofuel project of Numaligarh Refinery Limited.
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No.1939
TO BE ANSWERED ON 31st July, 2025
PRODUCTION OF BIO-FUEL IN NUMALIGARH REFINERY LIMITED
1939. SHRI KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA:
प(cid:282)े ो(cid:871)लयम और (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस मं(cid:287)ी
Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:
(a) whether any initiative has been taken by the Government to increase the productivity of
biofuel in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the total amount invested in the biofuel project of Numaligarh Refinery Limited;
(c) the name of the agency implementing the project of Numaligarh Refinery Limited;
(d) the date on which the said project was initiated and the production is likely to be
commenced;
(e) the total cost of the project along with its present cost; and
(f) the details of employments likely to be generated under this project?
ANSWER
प(cid:282)े ो(cid:871)लयम और (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस म(cid:287)ं ालय म(cid:581) रा(cid:207)यम(cid:287)ं ी
((cid:302)ी सुरेश गोपी)
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS
(SHRI SURESH GOPI)
(a): The Government, under the National Policy on Biofuels, have been promoting blending of
ethanol in petrol under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme with multiple objectives,
which inter-alia includes environmental sustainability, reduction of import dependence on crude
oil, while saving foreign exchange and to promote domestic agriculture sector. Further,
Government have launched SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation)
initiative across the country, with the aim of establishing an ecosystem for production and use of
compressed biogas (CBG) from various waste/ bio-mass sources including agri-residue. Under
this initiative CBG plants are set up across the country, based on the techno-commercial
feasibility and feed stock availability.
Government, since 2014, have taken several measures to increase biofuel production across the
country which inter-alia includes expansion of feedstock for production of ethanol, administered
price mechanism for procurement of sugarcane based ethanol under the Ethanol Blended Petrol
(EBP) Programme, lowered GST rate to 5% on ethanol for EBP Programme, Ethanol Interest
Subvention Schemes (EISS), for ethanol production from molasses as well as grains, a dedicated
subvention scheme for Cooperative Sugar Mills to convert existing sugarcane-based distilleriesinto multi-feedstock plants for ethanol production, Long Term Offtake Agreements (LTOAs) by
Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) with Dedicated Ethanol Plants (DEPs), etc.
Government have also notified the “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan - Vatavaran Anukool
fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana” to provide financial support for setting up Advanced Biofuels
projects in the country using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.
(b) to (f): Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) is setting up a 2G bamboo based bio-refinery
project in the state of Assam through a joint venture company, Assam Bio-Ethanol Private
Limited (ABEPL). The project was approved in June, 2020 with a cost of Rs. 1750 crore and
implemented through Engineers India Limited (EIL). The revised cost of project is Rs. 4930 crore
against which an expenditure of Rs. 4200 crore has been incurred so far. The project has been
mechanically completed and currently under advanced stage of commissioning. The total number
of employment envisaged under this project is as under:
Direct Employment Indirect Employment Total
Description
(Nos.) (Nos.) (Nos.)
Construction Phase 30 2000 2030
Operation Phase 150 50000 50150
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