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Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 'gobar-dhan' Bio-CNG plant in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Details:

• The Biogas plant was inaugurated under the vision of “waste to wealth”, and “circular economy” for maximizing resource recovery.
• The plant has a capacity to treat 550 tonnes per day of utilizing wet organic waste.
• The plant expected to produce around 17,000 kg per day of CNG, and 100 tonnes per day of organic compost.
• The plant is based on zero landfill models, no waste materials would be generated.
• Expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, providing green energy, organic compost and fertilizer.
• Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) created a Special Purpose Vehicle to implement the project.
• Indore Municipal Corporation to purchase a minimum 50% of CNG produced by the plant. Target to run 400 city buses on the CNG.
• The remaining quantity of CNG will be sold in the open market.
• Organic compost from the plant will be utilized for agricultural and horticultural purposes.

 

GOBAR-DHAN Initiative:

• Under the Ministry of Jal shakti.
• The Initiative Support Swachh Bharat Mission.
• It will help in Increasing rural incomes.
• The initiative has 2 Objectives
  • To Make villages Clean and generate income and energy from Cattle and other organic waste.
  • To Promote Cleanliness and sustainable Solid and liquid waste management in rural India.
• The Residues from Biogas plant, used for vermicomposting and organic farming.
• These plants will Supply Cooking gas at a Cost lower than the Conventional LPG gas Cylinder.

Biomass:

• Biomass is renewable organic energy that comes from plants and animals. It is an important fuel for many, especially for cooking and heating in rural areas.
• Biomass fuels are also used for transportation and electricity generation.
• Biomass sources for energy include: Wood and wood processing wastes, Agricultural crops and waste materials, organic materials in municipal solid waste, Animal manure and human sewage.

 

Biogas potential of India:

• Recent Livestock Census estimates India’s Cattle Population around 300 million, with total Production of dung approx 3 million tonnes per day.
• Many Countries are using animal dung and other organic waste to generate energy. But India has still to utilize the full potential of bio waste.
• Cattle dung, kitchen waste and agricultural waste Can be tapped to create biogas-based energy.
• According to an International Labor Organization report; Effective use of Cattle dung Could generate 1.5 million jobs in India..

 

Challenges

• Maintaining a regular Supply of Cattle dung and other organic waste to Plant operators.
• Lack of trained manpower, lack of skilled workforce to manage the operation in a sustainable way.
• Inadequate financial support to set up biogas plants, lack of supporting infrastructure like roads, transportation, etc.
• Shortage of fodder production for the cattle affects the production of organic waste needed for the plant.
• Farm Mechanization is replacing the cattle in agriculture. This led to ignorance of cattle by the cattle's master, and they found keeping cattle a burden.

 

Way forward:

• Engage all Stakeholders,
• Encourage Investments from Private Sector and local entrepreneurs,
• Building capacity of Panchayats and village Communities as they have to play a key role in running the plant in a sustainable way.

 

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1694825