India, July 20 -- The target of 20 per cent ethanol blending has not affected food crop availability or India's food security, Suresh Gopi, Minister of State in the Union Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas told the Rajya Sabha on July 20, 2026.

The government follows an open-ended procurement system at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), under which procurement for the Public Distribution System (PDS), National Food Security Act (NFSA), Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) and prescribed buffer stocks is accorded the highest priority. Only surplus foodgrains, as determined by the Department of Food & Public Distribution after meeting all food security requirements and maintaining prescribed buffer stocks, are permitted for ethanol production, said ...