GOBAR-DHAN Scheme may get approval
NDTV India Graphics
In the future, biogas will be mixed with the cooking gas (PNG) that reaches your home’s kitchen through pipes and the CNG that is used in auto-cars etc. This will be CBG i.e. compressed biogas. For this, biogas will be required on a large scale and to meet this need, 600 to 700 new biogas plants will be established in the country. For this, the Union Cabinet has approved the entire Govardhan Scheme (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan- GOBAR-DHAN) worth Rs 23731 crore. It is being told that this scheme can be launched on 10th August, World Biofuel Day.
The objective is better price, subsidy and CBG production
Official sources said that the Central Government can launch the ‘Sampoorna Govardhan Yojana’ on ‘World Bio-fuel Day’ on 10th August. The objective of this scheme is to rapidly increase CBG production by providing better and higher purchase prices for CBG (Compressed Biogas) and more capital subsidy for new projects.
This step is being taken 8 years after the launch of the ‘Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation’ (SATAT) scheme. According to the data of the government portal, the target was to set up 5,000 CBG plants under SATAT, but currently only 219 plants are operational. This number will increase with the new scheme. According to sources, more subsidies and better procurement prices can help in setting up 600-700 more CBG plants within a year.
Biogas to be mixed in CNG and PNG
Its importance has increased further since the obligation related to compressed biogas became a legal requirement. Under this obligation, city gas distributors are required to blend CBG in the compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG) supplies. Officials say the current pace of capacity addition is not enough to meet the lofty blending targets in the next three years, so new investments are necessary.
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