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The government has urged all distilleries to maximise production of ethanol to ensure the success of its ethanol blending programme.

In a meeting conducted by senior officials of the department of food and public distribution recently, supplies of ethanol were reviewed from all sugar based distilleries of major sugar producing states, except for Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Sources privy to details said that all distilleries were requested to maximise the production of ethanol for ensuring success of government's ethanol blending programme.

The meeting was attended by officials of all sugar producing states, oil marketing companies, industry associations and distilleries.

Ethanol is an agro-based product, mainly produced from a by-product of the sugar industry, namely molasses.

The ethanol blending programme seeks to achieve blending of ethanol with motor sprit with a view to reducing pollution, conserve foreign exchange and increase value addition in the sugar industry enabling them to clear cane price arrears of farmers.

The Central government has scaled up blending targets from 5 per cent to 10 per cent under the programme.