Gazette Reference: F. No. 4/1/2018-(BP&E)(Part), dated 21.12.2023
Type: Commissioner Circular — Guidelines (Non-Fee)
Authority: Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Directorate of Sugar & Vegetable Oils
Nature of Notification:
This is an Office Memorandum (OM) from the Government of India (not a Maharashtra state government amendment to the Bombay Prohibition Act). It establishes comprehensive national-level guidelines for ethanol production from multiple feedstocks and applies to all sugar mills and distilleries in concerned states. This circular is being circulated to Maharashtra excise/state authorities for implementation and compliance monitoring.
What Changed:
This OM supersedes earlier guidelines issued vide OM No. 4/1/2018-(BP&E)(Part) dated 11.11.2022 and amended 29.03.2023. The new guidelines comprehensively revise the mechanism for assessing ethanol production from:
- Sugar-based feedstocks: B-Heavy molasses, C-Heavy molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar syrup, and white sugar
- Grain-based feedstocks: Maize, broken rice, surplus rice from Food Corporation of India (FCI), and other damaged food grains
The revised guidelines were formulated based on recommendations by a Committee chaired by the Director, National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, and address issues regarding identification, quantification, quality standards, and operational controls for ethanol production from each feedstock type.
Key Provisions and Requirements:
1. Process Validation (Part-II, Para 1-3):
- All vacuum pan sugar factories and ethanol units must obtain process validation reports from National Sugar Institute (NSI) Kanpur, Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) Pune, or any technical institute designated by Central/State Government during ESY 2023-24 if no prior validation exists or if processing system/feedstocks change
- Validation reports must be provided to State Excise officials and to DSVO and Oil Marketing Companies within 15 days of onsite validation
2. Feedstock Segregation Rules (Part-II, Para 5.1-5.9):
- Distilleries/ethanol units must operate one feedstock at a time per processing line
- If multiple processing lines exist, equivalent number of different feedstocks allowed only if lines operate in parallel with NO inter-connectivity
- Storage tanks/silos for each feedstock type must be separate and clearly earmarked
- Changeover from one feedstock to another permitted only after minimum 20 days of operation on a particular feedstock, with one week advance notice to State Excise officials
- Flanges for non-operating feed lines must be sealed by excise officials; PTZ cameras mandatory at disconnection points and ethanol receivers
3. B-Heavy Molasses Requirements (Part-III, Section A):
- B-Heavy molasses defined as molasses from B massecuite curing with purity ≥50 (plantation white sugar by Double Sulphitation) or ≥48 (raw sugar by Defecation Process)
- Up to -2% purity tolerance if molasses stored >60 days
- C-Heavy and B-Heavy molasses must use separate "run off tanks," storage tanks, pumps, and pipelines with NO interconnecting lines
- Color coding mandatory: darker brown for C-Heavy, lighter brown for B-Heavy
- Maxwell Bolougne weighing scales, load cell systems, or calibrated mass flow meters required for quantity measurement
- During B-Heavy diversion, boiling of C or downstream massecuite not allowed
- Quality parameters (Brix, Purity, TRS) to be recorded daily by mill and distillery
4. Sugarcane Juice/Syrup Diversion (Part-III, Section B):
- Separate calibrated mass flow meters or load cell weighing scales mandatory
- No interconnecting pipelines/bypass arrangements in partial diversion cases
- Storage tanks and pipelines must be labeled in yellow color
- Quality parameters (Brix, Purity, TRS) recorded four-hourly by factory and distillery
- Sugar recovery formula provided for entire juice/syrup diversion scenarios
5. Sugar Diversion (Part-III, Section C):
- Sugar mingler, melter with mass flow meters and check weighment systems required
- Sugar may be processed exclusively or with sugarcane juice/syrup only
- Daily accounting of sugar dispatches and consumption mandatory
6. Grain-Based Ethanol (Part-III, Section E):
- Adequate silos for separate storage of each grain type (surplus FCI rice, broken rice, maize)
- PTZ cameras mandatory in grain storage areas
- Lorry/weighbridge calibration records required
- Quality parameters: starch, protein, moisture content recorded per lot and daily
- Dual feedstock units allowed if complying with Part-II segregation conditions
- Process validation from NSI/VSI/competent authority required annually
- Production must yield DDGS (Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles) as byproduct
7. Ethanol Quality and Certification (Part-II, Para 5.2-5.3):
- All ethanol must conform to IS 15464 (2022) specifications
- Ethanol content ≥99.6% by volume at 15.6°C
- Each batch certified by State Excise or designated authority with unique identification number
- Grain-based ethanol certificates must indicate specific grain type (maize/broken rice/FCI surplus rice)
8. Storage Capacity Requirements (Part-III, Section F):
- Standalone ethanol units: 45 days ethanol storage, 60 days molasses storage
- Integrated units: 45 days ethanol storage, 30 days molasses storage
- Tanks may be interchangeably used with permission from excise/state officials
9. Reporting Requirements:
- Monthly data submission to Directorate of Sugar & VO via P-II proforma on NSWS portal (ethanol production by feedstock, supply to OMCs)
- Initially by email to mis-ethanol@gov.in, then online via APIs after portal development
- Daily records on fermentation/distillation efficiency, yield per ton feedstock
- Fortnightly analysis by NSI/VSI/NABL-accredited labs for B-Heavy molasses quality
10. Inspection Powers (Part-III, Section G):
- Central Government retains rights to conduct surprise inspections, examine books, documents, and electronic records to verify compliance
Effective Date:
Applicable for ESY (Ethanol Supply Year) 2023-24 and beyond, until further orders
Practical Impact on Maharashtra:
Maharashtra's excise officials and sugar/distillery units must ensure strict compliance with these national guidelines. State excise departments are responsible for:
- Verifying feedstock segregation and color coding
- Issuing unique identification numbers for ethanol batches
- Sealing flanges during feedstock changeovers
- Granting approvals for storage tank usage and feedstock switching
- Receiving and validating monthly reports from units
This circular establishes the technical and operational framework for ethanol production under India's biofuel program, requiring close coordination between Maharashtra's excise administration and the central DFPD/OMCs.