Bengaluru, Nov 7 (NationPress) In response to accusations from Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding alleged bias from the Union government concerning ethanol distribution, Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi has launched a robust rebuttal.

Addressing Siddaramaiah's claims of the Union government disseminating "false information" about ethanol allocation, Joshi stated, "In his desperation to cling to the Chief Minister's position, Siddaramaiah is fabricating baseless narratives. The unfortunate reality for Karnataka is that its Chief Minister lacks even the fundamental understanding of verifying data before making public declarations."

Joshi added, "The Chief Minister himself is constructing a palace of lies. His struggle to maintain his position has led him to speak out of frustration without grasping the facts."

The Union Minister pointed out that Karnataka provided 139.8 crore litres of ethanol to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) during the 2024–25 period.

"The Chief Minister should have first comprehended the data, consulted with officials, and then commented. Regrettably, it appears he does not possess even that basic awareness," he remarked.

Joshi accused Siddaramaiah of engaging in political escapism, stating, "While in opposition, Siddaramaiah advised the government to regulate prices and create a revolving fund. Now in power, he has failed to address the issues faced by sugarcane farmers and instead blames the Centre to evade accountability."

He clarified that the parliamentary response referenced by Siddaramaiah included data only up to June 30, 2025, while the ethanol supply year spans from November to October. "By concealing this fact, he is intentionally misleading the public," Joshi asserted.

Joshi recounted the struggles of sugarcane farmers between 2004 and 2014, stating they faced delayed payments and endured extremely low fair and remunerative price (FRP) and Minimum Support Price (MSP).

"Although ethanol blending was proposed as early as 2005, the previous Congress-led government failed to take it seriously. Since our government assumed power, ethanol production and supply to OMCs surged 26 times between 2013–14 and 2024–25," Joshi emphasized.

He provided statistics: "In 2013–14, sugarcane procurement stood at Rs 57,104 crore. By 2024–25, it has soared to Rs 1,02,687 crore. The FRP was Rs 210 per quintal in 2013–14 and has now increased by 10.25% to Rs 355 per quintal for the 2025–26 sugar season. This underscores our government's strong commitment, Mr. Siddaramaiah."

Clarifying the rationale for ethanol blending, Joshi mentioned that surplus sugar is balanced through ethanol blending.

"From 2013–14 to 2024–25, fuel-grade ethanol production and supply to OMCs have surged 26 times," he highlighted.

He stressed that establishing a uniform national policy falls under the Central government's purview.

"It is our duty to maintain a balance in sugar prices, and we are taking necessary steps. Over the past decade, exports of up to 10 LMT (lakh metric tonnes) of sugar were authorized. This year, the allowance has been raised to 15 LMT," he noted.

Criticizing the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Joshi remarked that it has utterly failed to meet sugarcane farmers' demands.

"Your government is merely disseminating falsehoods and constructing illusions, pushing ordinary citizens and farmers to the streets. Your so-called 'guarantees' are the only thing your government stands for—not the state's comprehensive development. Due to the Congress government's peak misgovernance, farmers have been compelled to protest," he concluded in a sharp retort to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.