PIB Summary- 7th June, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Ethanol Blending

Why in News?
India has achieved the target of 10 percent ethanol blending, 5 months ahead of schedule

What is Ethanol fuel?

• Ethanol fuel is ethyl alcohol, the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, used as fuel.
• It is most often used as a motor fuel, mainly as a biofuel additive for gasoline.
• Ethanol is commonly made from biomass such as corn or sugarcane.
• Bioethanol is a form of renewable energy that can be produced from agricultural feedstocks.
• It can be made from very common crops such as hemp, sugarcane, potato, cassava and corn.
• There has been considerable debate about how useful bioethanol is in replacing gasoline.
• Concerns about its production and use relate to increased food prices due to the large amount of arable land required for crops, as well as the energy and pollution balance of the whole cycle of ethanol production, especially from corn.

Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme (EBP)

• Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme was launched in 2003- and this initiative is pursued aggressively in the last 4 to 5 years to reduce import dependence of crude oil as well as mitigate environmental pollution.
• The Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) 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.
• Although the Government of India decided to launch EBP programme in 2003 for supply of 5% ethanol blended Petrol, it later scaled up blending targets from 5% to 10% under the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP).
• The Government of India has also advanced the target for 20% ethanol blending in petrol (also called E20) to 2025 from 2030.
• Currently, 8.5% of ethanol is blended with petrol in India.

Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025

• The central government has released an expert committee report on the Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025 that proposes a gradual rollout of ethanol-blended fuel to achieve E10 fuel supply by April 2022 and phased rollout of E20 from April 2023 to April 2025.
• The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) had instituted an Expert Group to study the issues such as pricing of ethanol, matching pace of the automobile industry to manufacture vehicles with new engines with the supply of ethanol, pricing of such vehicles, fuel efficiency of different engines etc.

Advantages of Ethanol Blending

• Use of ethanol-blended petrol decreases emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
• The unregulated carbonyl emissions, such as acetaldehyde emission were, however, higher with E10 and E20 compared to normal petrol. However, these emissions were relatively lower.
• Increased use of ethanol can help reduce the oil import bill. India’s net import cost stands at USD 551 billion in 2020-21. The E20 program can save the country USD 4 billion (Rs 30,000 crore) per annum.
• The oil companies procure ethanol from farmers that benefits the sugarcane farmers.
• Further, the government plans to encourage use of water-saving crops, such as maize, to produce ethanol, and production of ethanol from non-food feedstock.

 Ex SAMPRITI-X

Why in News?
As part of the ongoing India Bangladesh bilateral defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise Ex SAMPRITI-X is being conducted at Jashore Military Station in Bangladesh from 05 June to 16 June 2022.

About Exercise SAMPRITI 

• Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour conducted alternately by both countries which aims to strengthen and widen the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between both the armies.
• The aim of the exercise is to strengthen interoperability between the two armies and to understand each other’s tactical drills and operational techniques.
• The Indian contingent of company strength is being represented by a Battalion of the DOGRA Regiment and the contingent departed by road for the exercise location.
• The exercise schedule is progressively planned in such a manner that the participants will initially get familiar with each other’s organisational structure and tactical drills.
• As the exercise progresses, joint tactical exercises will be conducted wherein the joint battle drills of both contingents will be practised.
• The exercise will culminate with a final validation exercise in which troops of both armies will jointly practice a Counter-Terrorism Operation in a simulated environment.

Significance

• During the joint military exercise Ex SAMPRITI-X, armies of both the Nations will share expertise in multiple simulated scenarios of Counter Terrorism, Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief and UN Peacekeeping Force under UN mandate.
• In addition to sharing best practices and understanding each other at the tactical level, this exercise is an opportunity for greater cultural understanding to strengthen trust and cooperation between armies of both the Nations.
• The exercise will benefit both the armies by gaining from each other’s vast experience which will further contribute to peace and stability in the region.

World Environment Day 2022

Why in News?
The World Environment Day is observed on the 5th of June every year for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.

About World Environment Day

• The United Nations Assembly established World Environment Day in 1972, which was the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the human environment.
• The theme for 2022:“Only One Earth” which “calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet”
• It will kick off the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) – a global mission to revive billions of hectares, from forests to farmlands, from the top of mountains to the depth of the sea.
• The theme for this year’s in India is ‘promotion of biofuels for a better environment’.
• This year’s celebrations hosted in Sweden’s capital Stockholm and all the related events will be organised here.