The government decided to launch ethanol-blended petrol in Madhya Pradesh and Uttaranchal with effect from January 1, 2004. The ethanol supplies to these States would be made from the neighbouring States of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh till the ethanol-petrol blending projects are set up in the respective States. Talking to the media, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said that the States of Goa, Haryana, Maharashtra and Punjab and the Union Territories (UTs) of Chandigarh and Dadra & Nagar-Haveli have been now fully covered by the supply of ethanol-blended petrol as on September 30, 2003. Most of the districts of Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have also been fully covered. Naik also announced that the mandatory sale time schedule is being extended.