Daily Prelims Notes 9 August 2021

August 9, 2021
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

9 August 2021

Table Of Contents

1. The Constitutional 127th Amendment Bill

Subject: Geography

In news: The Constitutional 127th Amendment Bill will amend Articles 342 A — clauses 1 and 2 — and will introduce clause 342 A (3) specifically authorising states to maintain their State List.

More about the Bill:

The 127th Constitution Amendment Bill will amend clauses 1 and 2 of Article 342A and also introduce a new clause 3.
The Bill will also amend Articles 366 (26c) and 338B (9).
The 127th Amendment Bill is designed to clarify that the states can maintain the “state list” of OBCs as was the system prior to the Supreme Court judgment.
Articles 366 (26c) defines socially and educationally backward classes.
The “state list” will be completely taken out of the ambit of the president and NCBC and will be notified by the state Assembly as per the proposed Bill.

Why is the 127th Constitution Amendment Bill needed?

The Supreme Court in its Maratha reservation ruling in May upheld the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act.
The 102nd Constitution Amendment Act of 2018 had inserted Articles 338B and Article 342A (with two clauses) after Article 342. Articles 338B deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes. Article 342A says that the president, in consultation with the governor, would specify the socially and educationally backward classes.
The amendment is necessary to restore the powers of the state governments to maintain a state list of OBCs which was taken away by a Supreme Court interpretation. If the state list gets abolished, nearly 671 OBC communities would lose access to reservations in educational institutions and in appointments. This would adversely impact nearly one-fifth of the total OBC communities.
According to the Constitution of India, Articles 15(4), 15(5) and 16(4) confer power on a state to identify and declare the list of socially and educationally backward classes. As a matter of practice, separate OBC lists are drawn up by the Centre and each state concerned.

What is the procedure to get the 127th Constitution Amendment Bill passed?

An amendment of the Constitution can be initiated only by the introduction of a bill in either House of Parliament.
The bill must then be passed in each House by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a special majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.
In case of disagreement between the two Houses, there is no provision for a joint sitting.
If the amendment seeks to make any change in any of the provisions mentioned in the provision to Article 368, it must be ratified by the Legislatures of not less than one-half of the states. Although there is no prescribed time limit for ratification, it must be completed before the amending bill is presented to the president for his assent.

2. Indian Monsoon

Subject: Geography

In news: MJO waves bring fresh rain over the South Peninsula- IMD.

Global dynamic weather models continue to favor the eastern propagation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) wave, which creates moisture, clouds and rain and generates rain across the Indian Ocean this week.
This will lead to a situation where the monsoon creates a downpour in the far north and south, while the west and central India would mostly sit outside the session.

Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO)

The MJO can be defined as an eastward moving ‘pulse’ of clouds, rainfall, winds and pressure near the equator that typically recurs every 30 to 60 days.
It’s a traversing phenomenon and is most prominent over the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Phases of Madden-Julian Oscillation
Enhanced rainfall (or convective) phase: winds at the surface converge, and the air is pushed up throughout the atmosphere. At the top of the atmosphere, the winds reverse (i.e., diverge). Such rising air motion in the atmosphere tends to increase condensation and rainfall.
Suppressed rainfall phase: winds converge at the top of the atmosphere, forcing air to sink and, later, to diverge at the surface. As air sinks from high altitudes, it warms and dries, which suppresses rainfall.
It is this entire dipole structure that moves west to east with time in the Tropics, causing more cloudiness, rainfall, and even storminess in the enhanced convective phase, and more sunshine and dryness in the suppressed convective phase.

How Does MJO Affect Indian Monsoon?

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), El Nino and MJO are all oceanic and atmospheric phenomena, which affect weather on a large scale. IOD only pertains to the Indian Ocean, but the other two affect weather on a global scale-up to the mid-latitudes.
IOD and El Nino remain over their respective positions, while MJO is a traversing phenomenon.
When it is over the Indian Ocean during the Monsoon season, it brings good rainfall over the Indian subcontinent.
On the other hand, when it witnesses a longer cycle and stays over the Pacific Ocean, MJO brings bad news for the Indian Monsoon.

Periodicity of MJO:

If it is nearly 30 days then it brings good rainfall during the Monsoon season.
If it is above 40 days then MJO doesn’t give good showers and could even lead to a dry Monsoon.
Shorter the cycle of MJO, better the Indian Monsoon. Simply because it then visits the Indian Ocean more often during the four-month-long period.
Presence of MJO over the Pacific Ocean along with an El Nino is detrimental for Monsoon rains.

3. Battery Cell Technologies

Subject: Science and Technology

In news: The suitability of some frontier battery technologies are likely to be evaluated by NITI Aayog and Ministry of Power based on the end-use application of the battery storage projects in electric vehicles (EVs).

The new technologies include a novel rechargeable iron-air battery developed by a US-based start-up for electricity grid storage that promises to deliver power at less than a tenth of the cost of lithium-ion batteries, alongside solid-state batteries that use alternatives to the aqueous electrolyte solutions , an innovation that could lower the risk of fires, sharply increase energy density and potentially take only 10 minutes to charge a battery, cutting the recharging time by two-thirds is being explored by mobility.
It could potentially enable battery storage ecosystems to diversify away from the established Lithium-ion formula.
Iron Air Battery:
- It leverages the concept of ‘reversible rusting’.
- The battery uses oxygen from the air and converts iron metal to rust while discharging, and while charging, the application of an electrical current transforms the rust back to iron and the battery releases oxygen back into the air.
- But the problem with the tech pertains to the battery’s size and weight, which makes its application impractical in electric vehicles, one of the biggest use areas of batteries.

Energy storage policy in India:

IEA projects that India could have 140-200 GW of battery storage capacity by 2040, potentially a third of total battery storage capacity in the world by then.
The Department of Science and Technology has launched
- a “Materials for Energy Storage” and “Materials for Energy Conservation and Storage Platform” programme,
- and set up centres on Batteries and Supercapacitors with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Indian Institute of Science respectively, for developing energy materials for efficient electrochemical energy storage devices.

4. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

Subject: Environment

In news: IPCC Sixth Assessment Report will be the first of four reports released under the IPCC’s latest assessment cycle, with subsequent reports coming in 2022.

More about the report:

The report will provide policy-makers with the best possible information regarding the physical science of climate change, which is essential for long-term planning in many sectors, from infrastructure to energy to social welfare.
Atmospheric CO2: Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are higher now than they have been in 800,000 years, reaching 419 parts per million (ppm) in May 2021.
- Climate scientists use models to understand how much warming occurs when CO2 concentrations double from pre-industrial levels (from 260 ppm to 520 ppm), a concept called “climate sensitivity.” The more sensitive the climate, the faster greenhouse gas emissions must be curbed to stay below 2°C.
Extreme Weather events: Global warming means stronger summer heat waves and more frequent tropical nights (temperatures above 20°C) are occurring in middle latitudes, like Canada and Europe.
- Warmer air can hold more water. This can cause more evaporation from land, and lead to drought and wildfires. In addition, an atmosphere with more water can produce more precipitation and flooding.
Sea Level Rise: Global sea level is rising because water expands slightly when it warms up, and mountain glaciers and the Greenland Ice Sheet are melting and adding water to the ocean.
- But the largest potential source of sea-level rise over the next century is Antarctica. Ice sheet models show that melting of Antarctic ice sheets will add between 14 and 114 centimetres to sea-level rise by 2100.

5. The world’s climate change progress

Subject: Environment

In news: Back in 2019, more than 11,000 scientists declared a global climate emergency. The vital signs that impact or reflect the planet’s health, such as forest loss, fossil fuel subsidies, glacier thickness, ocean acidity and surface temperature have however changed since the original publication, including through the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Climate Change progress since 2019:

Fossil fuel divestment and fossil fuel subsidies have improved signalling an economic shift to a renewable energy future.
Climate-related disasters have increased since 2019
- devastating flash floods in the South Kalimantan province of Indonesia,
- record heat waves in the south western United States,
- extraordinary storms in India and,
- the 2019-2020 megafires in Australia.
In addition, three main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide — set records for atmospheric concentrations in 2020 and 2021. carbon dioxide concentration reached 416 parts per million, the highest monthly global average concentration ever recorded in april 2021.
2020 was also the second hottest year in recorded history, with the five hottest years on record all occurring since 2015.
Ruminant livestock — cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats — now number more than 4 billion, and their total mass is more than that of all humans and wild mammals combined. This is a problem because these animals are responsible for impacting biodiversity, releasing huge amounts of methane emissions, and land continues to be cleared to make room for them.
Ocean acidification is also near an all-time record.
There is growing evidence we’re getting close to or have already gone beyond tipping points associated with important parts of the Earth system, including warm-water coral reefs, the Amazon rainforest and the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets.

Six critical and interrelated steps governments can take to lessen the worst effects of climate change:

Prioritise energy efficiency, and replace fossil fuels with low-carbon renewable energy.
Reduce emissions of short-lived pollutants such as methane and soot
Curb land clearing to protect and restore the Earth’s ecosystems
Reduce our meat consumption.
Move away from unsustainable ideas of ever-increasing economic and resource consumption.
Stabilise and, ideally, gradually reduce human populations while improving human well-being especially by educating girls and women globally.

6. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

Subject: Geography

Context: A recent study in Nature Climate Change and the IPCC’s Report (AR6) notes that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is losing its stability. Modelling studies have shown that an AMOC shutdown would cool the northern hemisphere and decrease rainfall over Europe.

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

The AMOC is a large system of ocean currents.
It is the Atlantic branch of the ocean conveyor belt or Thermohaline circulation (THC), and distributes heat and nutrients throughout the world’s ocean basins.
AMOC carries warm surface waters from the tropics towards the Northern Hemisphere, where it cools and sinks.
It then returns to the tropics and then to the South Atlantic as a bottom current. From there it is distributed to all ocean basins via the Antarctic circumpolar current.

What happens if AMOC collapses?

Gulf Stream, a part of the AMOC, is a warm current responsible for mild climate at the Eastern coast of North America as well as Europe. Without a proper AMOC and Gulf Stream, Europe will be very cold.
It can also have an effect on the El Nino.
Freshwater from melting Greenland ice sheets and the Arctic region can make circulation weaker as it is not as dense as saltwater and doesn’t sink to the bottom.

Why is the AMOC slowing down?

Global warming can cause a weakening of the major ocean systems of the world.
A part of the Arctic’s ice called “Last Ice Area” has also melted. The freshwater from the melting ice reduces the salinity and density of the water. Now, the water is unable to sink as it used to and weakens the AMOC flow.
As the Indian Ocean warms faster and faster, it generates additional precipitation. With so much precipitation in the Indian Ocean, there will be less precipitation in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to higher salinity in the waters of the tropical portion of the Atlantic. This saltier water in the Atlantic, as it comes north via AMOC, will get cold much quicker than usual and sink faster.

Has the AMOC weakened before?

AMOC and THC strength has always been fluctuating.
The extreme glacial stages have seen weaker circulation and slowdown in AMOC, while the glacial terminations have shown a stronger AMOC and circulation.
But the changes we experience in the last 100-200 years are anthropogenic, and these abrupt changes are destabilising the AMOC, which could collapse the system.

7. 8888 Uprising

Subject: International Relations

Context: Myanmar protesters on Sunday marked the anniversary of a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that brought Aung San Suu Kyi to prominence, with flash mobs and marches of defiance against the ruling junta

Concept:

The 8888 Uprising also known as the People Power Uprising and the 1988 Uprising, was a series of nationwide protests, marches, and riotsin Burma (Myanmar) that peaked in August 1988. Key events occurred on 8 August 1988 and therefore it is commonly known as the “8888 Uprising”
The protests began as a student movement and were organised largely by university students at the Rangoon Arts and Sciences University and the Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT).
During the crisis, Aung San Suu Kyi emerged as a national icon. When the military junta arranged an election in 1990, her party, the National League for Democracy
However, the military junta refused to recognise the results and continued to rule the country as the State Law and Order Restoration Council. Aung San Suu Kyi was also placed under house arrest.
The State Law and Order Restoration Council would be a cosmetic change from the Burma Socialist Programme Party.^[ Suu Kyi’s house arrest was lifted in 2010, when worldwide attention for her peaked

Coup d’état 2021

A coup d’état in Myanmar began on the morning of 1 February 2021, when democratically elected members of the country’s ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), were deposed by the Tatmadaw—Myanmar’s military—which then vested power in a stratocracy.
The Tatmadaw proclaimed a year-long state of emergency and declared power had been transferred to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Min Aung Hlaing.
It declared the results of the November 2020 general election invalid and stated its intent to hold a new election at the end of the state of emergency
The coup d’état occurred the day before the Parliament of Myanmar was due to swear in the members elected at the 2020 election, thereby preventing this from occurring.
President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained, along with ministers, their deputies and members of Parliament.

8. Immunogenicity

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: A combination of Covishield and Covaxin elicits better immunogenicity than two doses of the same vaccine, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Sunday.

Concept:

The council released its findings which suggest that immunisation with a combination of an adenovirus vector platform-based vaccine followed by an inactivated whole virus vaccine was not only safe but also elicited better immunogenicity.
A homologous prime-boost approach was followed.
The pre-print report titled “Serendipitous COVID-19 Vaccine-Mix in Uttar Pradesh, India: Safety and Immunogenicity Assessment of a Heterologous Regime, the findings have an important implication for the COVID-19 vaccination programme wherein heterologous immunisation will pave the way for induction of improved and better protection against the variant strains of SARS-CoV-2.

Immunogenicity

Immunogenicity is the ability of a foreign substance, such as an antigen, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal.
It results from biomaterial being detected by the body’s immune system as a foreign object.
A biochemical cascade then occurs, whereby T-helper cells(these are arguably the most important cells in adaptive immunity, as they are required for almost all adaptive immune responses) migrate towards the biomaterial. This immune response can result in rejection of the biomaterial, and non-union between the biomaterial and the wound site.

It is of two types:

Wanted immunogenicity: It is used in case of vaccines, where the injection of an antigen (the vaccine) provokes an immune response against the pathogen (virus, bacteria), protecting the organism from future exposure.
Unwanted immunogenicity: It is an immune response by an organism against a therapeutic antigen (ex. recombinant protein, or monoclonal antibody). This reaction leads to production of anti-drug-antibodies (ADAs)inactivating the therapeutic effects of the treatment and, in rare cases, inducing adverse effects.

9. Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: Recent interministry communication points to strong indication that a decision is likely to be made soon on import of Soyabean meal for meeting the current feed shortage in the country.

Concept:

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the apex body that allows for commercial release of GM crops.
It had allowed the commercial release of Bt cotton in 2002. At present, more than 95 per cent of the country’s cotton areas come under Bt cotton.
Use of the unapproved GM variant can attract a jail term of 5 years and fine of Rs 1 lakh under the Environmental Protection Act, 1989.
Import of any GM material is governed by the Environment Protection Act 1985. GM import proposals are examined by Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Environment Ministry for making a recommendation to either accept or reject the proposal. Although GEAC is supposed to meet every month Legal provisions

GEAC

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
It is responsible for appraisal of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle.
The committee is also responsible for appraisal of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.
GEAC is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of MoEF & CC and co-chaired by a representative from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Presently, it has 24 members and meets every month to review the applications in the areas indicated above.

Recent Imports

In recent years, India has been importing roughly 5 lakh tonnes of oilmeals and about 3 lakh tonnes of oilseeds from non-GM origins. Also, for the last 15 years, India has been consuming cottonseed meal processed out of GM cottonseed variety, popularly called Bt Cotton, with no adverse effects scientifically recorded.

Soyabean

Soyabean is one of the fastest growing crops in India. Soyabean is grown as a Kharif Crop in India.
Soyabean is an oilseed produced for extracting edible oils.
Soyabean is mostly grown in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. These two states together produce about 90 per cent of total output of soyabean in the country
Feed shortage Soyabean meal is a key feed material for fish, shrimp, cattle, dairy and poultry farmers. Shortage in feed availability has resuled in a surge in soymeal prices that is hurting livestock farmers, the industry
In the US, soymeal is available at around $550 a tonne, while domestic prices in India are more than twice the rate.

10. Human rights

Subject: Polity

Context: Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Sunday said police stations pose the “highest threat” to human rights and dignity, which are “sacrosanct.

Concept:

About Human rights

Human Rights are those rights which every human being enjoys on the basis of equality irrespective of caste, race, religion, and place of birth, sex or any other economic and social status. The idea of human dignity and equality is embedded in vision of HRs.
These Human rights are guaranteed under the constitution of India in the form of Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy and International Instruments such as UDHR, ICCPR, ICESCR, UNCRPD etc.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights laid down the terms for the post-war world, it enshrined the rights and the freedoms of all people, living everywhere.

Characteristic of HRs:

Inalienable
Indivisible, interdependent and interrelated
Universal

Three generation of Human Rights:

The division of human rights into three generations was introduced in 1979 by Czech jurist Karel Vasak.

First generation: It dealt with the civil-political rights like liberty and participation in political life. By nature, they are individualistic and negative (limitation on the state). These have been legitimated and given status in international law by Articles 3 to 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Second Generation: These deal with the socio-economic rights that guarantee equal conditions and treatment. They are not rights directly possessed by individuals but constitute positive duties upon the government to respect and fulfil them. Major acknowledgement of these rights came post Second World War and is found in Articles 22 to 27 of the UDHR and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
Third generation: Collective-developmental rights or solidarity rights of peoples and groups held against their respective states aligns with the final tenet of “fraternity”. Broad class of rights that have gained acknowledgment in international agreements and treaties but are more contested than earlier two. They can be found in documents like 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the 1994 Draft Declaration of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights.

11. The employment & unemployment status of India

Subject: Economy

Context: A quick look at the recently released Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) reveals a decline in the unemployment rate from 5.8 per cent in 2018-19 to 4.8 per cent in 2019-20.

Concept:

The fall in the unemployment rate from the 45 year high of 6.1 per cent as reported in the first PLFS (2017-18) is indeed a respite.

Causes of lower unemployment rate

The lower unemployment rate (based on usual status approach) appears to be a consequence of economic distress and lack of gainful employment opportunities which have pushed jobseekers into low productivity and low paying work, thereby intensifying the challenge of under-employment.

Under-employment

Underemployment is a measure of employment and labor utilization in the economy that looks at how well the labor force is being used in terms of skills, experience, and availability to work.
It refers to a situation in which individuals are forced to work in low-paying or low-skill jobs.
Visible underemployment and invisible underemployment are types of underemployment.
Underemployment can be caused by a variety of factors, from economic recessions to business cycles.

12. Variants of Covid 19

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: The continued spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has spawned a Greek alphabet of variants – a naming system used by the World Health Organization to track concerning new mutations of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Concept:

DELTA

The Delta variant first detected in India remains the most worrisome.
It has proven capable of infecting a higher proportion of vaccinated people than its predecessors.
The WHO classifies Delta as a variant of concern, meaning it has been shown capable of increasing transmissibility, causing more severe disease or reducing the benefit of vaccines and treatments.
While the original coronavirus took up to seven days to cause symptoms, Delta can cause symptoms two to three days faster, giving the immune system less time to respond and mount a defense.
Delta also appears to be mutating further, with reports emerging of a “Delta Plus” variant, a sub-lineage that carries an additional mutation that has been shown to evade immune protection.
India listed Delta Plus as a variant of concern in June, but neither the U.S. CentersFor Disease Control and Prevention nor the WHO have done so yet. Delta Plus has been detected in at least 32 countries. Experts say it is not yet clear whether it is more dangerous.

LAMBDA – ON THE WANE

The Lambda variant has attracted attention as a potential new threat. But this version of the coronavirus, first identified in Peru in December, may be receding, several infectious disease experts told Reuters.

The WHO classifies Lambda as a variant of interest, meaning it carries mutations suspected of causing a change in transmissibility or causing more severe disease, but it is still under investigation.

Lab studies show it has mutations that resist vaccine-induced antibodies.

A database that tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants, has been dropping, a sign that the variant is waning.

B.1.621

The B.1.621 variant, which first arose in Colombia in January, where it caused a major outbreak, has yet to earn a Greek letter name.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has listed it as a variant of interest, while Public Health England describes B.1.621 as a variant under investigation. It carries several key mutations, including E484K, N501Y and D614G, that have been linked with increased transmissibility and reduced immune protection

13. National Policy on Biofuels

Subject: Environment

Context: The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today informed that the National Policy on Bio-fuels, 2018 envisages creation of a National Biomass Repository by conducting appraisal of biomass across the Country.

Concept:

Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), an autonomous organisation under Department of Science and Technology (DST) has published a study report titled ‘Estimation of Surplus Crop Residue in India for Biofuel Production’ jointly with Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI).
TIFAC along with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad has carried out an estimation of residual biomass and its energy potential on PAN India basis on a further disaggregated at a level of 1 square kilometre through spatial information system.
This has focussed on four major crops namely rice, wheat, sugarcane and cotton.
The Government has allowed procurement of ethanol produced from other non-food feedstocks besides molasses, like cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials including petrochemical route.
Oil PSUs have entered into Memorandum of Understanding with State Governments and Technology Providers for 2G ethanol bio-refineries.Oil Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have planned to set up second generation (2G) ethanol bio-refineries to augment ethanol supplies for Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme at Panipat in Haryana, Bathinda in Punjab, Bargarh in Odisha, Numaligarh in Assam and Davangere in Karnataka.
Government has approved financial support of Rs. 150 crore each to 4 commercial projects at Bathinda (Punjab) of HPCL, Panipat (Haryana) of IOCL, Bargarh (Odisha) of BPCL and Numaligarh (Assam) of NRL &Rs15 crore to 1 demo plant at Panipat (Haryana) of IOCL under the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana

National Policy on Biofuels

The new National Policy on Biofuels had a target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol and 5 per cent blending of biodiesel in diesel by 2030.
This was to be achieved by increasing production using second generation bio-refineries and developing new feedstock for biofuels. It allowed the production of ethanol from damaged food grains like wheat and broken rice, which are unfit for human consumption.

The new policy allowed the use of excess food grain for ethanol in a bounty crop year, so long as the surplus is endorsed by the Union Ministry of Agriculture.
The approval for this is to be given by the National Biofuel Coordination Committee, chaired by the Union Minister Petroleum and Natural Gas.
It includes representatives from 14 other central departments.

Ethanol blending Programme

The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP & NG) vide its notification dated 20th September, 2006 directed the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to sell 5% Ethanol Blended Petrol subject to commercial viability as per Bureau of Indian Standards specifications in notified 20 States and 4 UTs with effect from 1st November, 2006.
At present, this programme has been extended to whole of India except Union Territories of Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands with effect from 01st April, 2019 wherein OMCs sell petrol blended with ethanol up to 10%.