New Delhi, July 30 -- The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Thursday refuted what it termed as "misleading claims" regarding ethanol-blended petrol (E20), asserting that there is "no verified evidence of widespread engine damage" linked to the fuel following years of scientific vetting and real-world usage across crores of vehicles.

Addressing concerns raised on social media platforms, the ministry clarified that its conclusions stem from over 25 years of phased implementation, continuous field tracking, and exhaustive stakeholder consultations.

The Central Government said E15-plus petrol has been deployed for over three and a half years, while E19-E20 fuel has been in circulation for more than two and a half years and over 20 cr...