Ethanolblending in petrol has risen to a record 6.2% this year, rising nearly tenfold in six years, in a sign that the policy interventions of recent years have paid off.

A combination of measures by the Modi government, which included setting higher prices for ethanol, simplifying its purchase, and encouraging oil companies to buy more ethanol, appears to have boosted the purchase of the biofuel over the years.

The government plans to achieve 10% blending of ethanol in petrol by 2022 to cut dependence on energy import, promote the use of environment-friendly fuel and boost the agriculture sector.

“Ethanol blending percentage as on 17 June 2019 has increased to 6.20% as compared to 0.67% in supply year 2012-13,” oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Twitter on Wednesday.

Ethanol blending was 0.67% in 2012-13, 1.53% in 2013-14, 2.33% in 2014-15, 3.51% in 2015-16, and 4.22% in 2017-18. Ethanol purchase for the blending programme has risen to 38 crore litre in 2013-14.