New Delhi, June 11 -- The government has extended central excise duty exemptions to petrol blended with 22%, 25%, 27% and 30% ethanol, marking a significant policy step towards supporting higher ethanol blending levels beyond the existing E20 programme.

The move assumes significance as it follows the government's approval of standards for ethanol-blended petrol containing up to 30% ethanol, paving the way for the commercial adoption of higher-blend fuels.

In a set of notifications issued late Wednesday, the Department of Revenue amended multiple central excise notifications to grant nil excise duty rates and related exemptions for ethanol-blended petrol containing 22%, 25%, 27% and 30% ethanol by volume, provided the blends conform to B...