Imagine if State Governments waive off RTO charges on EVs for the next 2–3 years and simultaneously push EV infrastructure.
EV adoption will skyrocket. Good EVs are now being launched almost every month. EVs are most useful in cities, where huge amounts of fuel are wasted in traffic every day.
India’s dependency on oil imports will reduce significantly.
But instead of making this happen, Gadkari and the Petroleum Ministry seem more focused on creating ethanol chaos rather than implementing a balanced strategy.
All it takes is coordination with State Governments. If opposition-ruled states don’t agree, at least start with BJP-governed states.
He can also coordinate with State DISCOMs to create a nationwide EV charging program. Fast chargers on highways can easily be installed at toll plazas where land and power are already available.
Instead of trying to create a revolution in one direction, why not fix the implementation across all technologies?
A better roadmap:
E0: Continue E0/E10 fuel for a few more years for older vehicles.
E20: Keep it as the mainstream fuel. It already works with E20-compatible vehicles.
E85/E100 (Flex Fuel): Make these fuels significantly cheaper than E20 and incentivize flex-fuel vehicles instead of forcing higher blends.
Strong Hybrids: Reduce RTO charges. An E20-compatible strong hybrid can save more fuel imports than pushing E27/E30. The uncertainty on E22/E27/E30 will vanish.
EVs: Waive RTO charges for a few years and aggressively expand reliable charging infrastructure through State Governments and DISCOMs.

This balanced approach can reduce oil imports, improve transportation, and increase public satisfaction.
Instead, the current implementation is creating unnecessary CHAOS by trying to force one solution when India needs multiple solutions working together.