BS-VI fuel in India by 2020: Pradhan

Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday confirmed that his Ministry aimed to implement the introduction of Bharat Stage-VI compliant fuel in the country by 2020.

“We plan to launch the BS-VI compliant fuel by 2020,” said the Union Minister during the launching ceremony of the BS-IV compliant fuel here.

Pradhan launched the BS-IV fuels from 12 different locations across the country via video conferencing in the presence of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry Secretary KD Tripathi and senior officials of Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum.

Pradhan termed the initiative as the beginning of a new era to reduce environment pollution.

“Today we begin a new era of clean transportation fuels that will benefit 1.25 citizens of our country by substantially reducing pollution levels in our cities,” said the minister.

Earlier, the Supreme Court order slapped a ban on Bharat Stage-III vehicles which came as a big blow for the automobile companies as they were sitting on a huge inventory of vehicles worth Rs 12,000 crore.