New Delhi, June 11 -- The Centre has extended central excise duty exemptions to petrol blended with 22 per cent, 25 per cent, 27 per cent and 30 per cent ethanol, according to notifications issued by the Ministry of Finance's Department of Revenue in the Gazette of India.

Under the notifications, eligible fuel blends conforming to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications will attract a nil rate of central excise duty.

However, it has been clarified by the ministry that the move is a preliminary requirement for enabling higher ethanol blends and does not indicate their immediate rollout. Any introduction of higher ethanol blends will take place only after extensive testing and consultations.

Blending ethanol with petrol at the de...