New Delhi: The Union government has said that India has achieved 20% ethanol blending five years ahead of the original target, reported The Tribune.In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Thursday (July 23), Suresh Gopi, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas said that so far, the scientific studies, field validation and real world operating experience showed that E20 was a safe, cleaner and superior fuel option if it is used in accordance with the prescribed specifications and manufacturer recommendations.Gopi added that the government’s stand on E20 was based on laboratory research and large-scale experience after nationwide implementation. The Union government said that after E20 has been scientifically validated and accepted by the automobile industry, there is no proposal to revert to E0/E10 petrol.The government added that the objective of public policy was to move forward with a superior fuel, not return to an inferior standard.Gopi told the Parliament that the government has not received large number of and verifiable complaints from vehicle manufacturers, automobile associations or consumer organisations about drastic reduction in mileage, slow pick-up and rusting of petrol tanks that could be attributable to E20 fuel.The Wire has previously reported how mechanics flag clogged injectors, corroded fuel lines and cracked rubber components with a frequency they say had never seen before. They say that the pattern became impossible to ignore soon after E20 petrol was rolled out nationwide in April 2025. Customers began arriving with rough idling, hard starts, engine misfires in motorcycles barely three or four years old.In August 2025, just months after E20 became available across the country, LocalCircles surveyed more than 37,000 vehicle owners across 331 districts. Nearly two out of every three owners of pre-2022 vehicles reported a decline in fuel efficiency, while 28% said they had noticed unusual wear and tear in engines, fuel tanks, carburettors and fuel lines.