Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated on Wednesday that India is considering raising its goal to blend ethanol with gasoline to more than 20 per cent.

He stated that 19.6 per cent blending has already been accomplished while speaking at the Advantage Assam 2.0 investment summit in Guwahati today.

"We'll be considering blending more than 20 per cent biofuel. An NITI Aayog group has already been established, and they are investigating," he stated.

Despite India's developmental hurdles, all fossil fuel production businesses will reach net zero by 2045, Union Minister Puri said.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "The Ministry of Petroleum also announced at the last Advantage Assam Summit that they will bring a gas grid from Barauni to Numaligarh, again 1600 km gas grid."

"Even though Assam accounts for 14 per cent of India's total gas production, our domestic output may only meet 7-8 per cent of the country's needs due to the state's increasing industrialisation and City Gas's dedication. You have therefore dispelled the notion that Assam gas is being used elsewhere in the nation by completing the 1600 km pipeline and northeast gas grid in record time. For Assam's development, we are instead importing gas from other parts of the nation and the global market," he added.

Notably, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has acted quickly and decisively in the last 10 years when it comes to the development of Assam and all Northeastern states.

This session was organised as a strategic forum to advance Assam's role in India's Act East Policy, focusing on enhancing regional connectivity, boosting trade, and strengthening cross-border collaboration emphasised Assam's position as the gateway to India's Act East Policy.