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Over 7,200 biogas plants have been established in Gujarat under the Government of India’s Gobar-Dhan Yojana, which offers livestock owners a subsidy of ?37,000 per biogas plant, the state government announced on Tuesday. Banas Dairy, Sabar Dairy, Dudhsagar Dairy, Amul Dairy, and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) have been designated as the implementing agencies for the initiative in the state.
With a target of 7,600 biogas plants, 7,276 have been installed to date. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, ?50 lakh per district was allocated for the program, with a funding ratio of 60 percent from the central government and 40 percent from the state.
A survey by Sabar Dairy revealed that 100 percent of respondents felt that food cooked using biogas tasted better, and 87 percent agreed that cooking with biogas was faster compared to wood or LPG. Each 2-cubic-meter biogas plant costs ?42,000, with the beneficiary contributing ?5,000, while the central and state governments provide ?25,000, and ?12,000 comes from MNREGA funds for pit digging and slurry management.
Launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation on November 1, 2018, the Gobar-Dhan Yojana converts organic waste, including cattle dung and agricultural residues, into biogas, compressed biogas (CBG), or bio-CNG. The scheme promotes waste management, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture, while providing farmers with an additional income source. Beneficiaries must own at least two livestock animals to qualify for the scheme. |
