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Informist, Monday, Apr. 13, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – The All India Distillers' Association has urged the government to create an enabling policy and regulatory framework for the adoption of ethanol as a cooking fuel. It has also asked the government to explore targeted ethanol-based cooking in commercial and semi-urban or rural segments.

 

"Recent geopolitical disruptions have tightened LPG supplies, leading to prioritisation of household consumption, while commercial users continue to face supply constraints. This over-dependence on a single imported clean cooking fuel underscores the urgent need to diversify India's cooking energy mix," the association said in a letter written to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Friday.

 

Ethanol-based cooking will also absorb the excess ethanol production in the country, the association said. Ethanol is suitable for both household and small commercial cooking applications. However, it has a lower calorific value compared to LPG, which can be bridged through advanced stove design, optimised burners, and efficient fuel delivery, the association said.

 

It has asked the government to develop safety, quality, and performance standards for ethanol cookstoves. Last week, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said the government was considering promoting ethanol-based cookstoves, with necessary regulatory changes under discussion. "There is a proposal that we should try and promote the use of ethanol stoves...that proposal needs some regulatory changes by the MOPNG (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) and also by the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards)," Chopra said on the sidelines of an event organised by the Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association.

 

He said the government hoped to introduce enabling provisions to popularise ethanol cookstoves, particularly in areas surrounding ethanol distilleries, including nearby villages and catchment regions.  End

 

Reported by Afra Abubacker

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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