Gujarat Inaugurates Banas Bio-CNG Model Plant in Banaskantha District

Gujarat added a major green energy project this week with the inauguration of the Banas Bio-CNG Model Plant on 26th August, 2026, at Vinchhiwadi in Dhanera taluka, Banaskantha district. The plant is designed to turn cattle dung into clean fuel while opening up a fresh income stream for local dairy farmers and livestock owners.

Banas Bio-CNG Plant: A Joint Initiative of Banas Dairy, Suzuki Motor Corporation and NDDB

The project brings together three major players—Banas Dairy, Suzuki Motor Corporation, and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). Suzuki Motor Corporation chairman Toshihiro Suzuki, Banas Dairy chairman Shankar Chaudhary, and NDDB chairman Minesh Patel attended the inauguration. Along with the plant, a bio-CNG filling station was opened, and India's first rural cooperative-model taxi service, called "Gramin Bharat Taxi," was flagged off with nine vehicles running on this clean fuel.

About the Banas Bio-CNG Plant Model

1. Banas Dairy chairman Shankar Chaudhary explained that this bio-CNG push, supported by an investment of ₹250 crore, started with a single plant at Dama capable of processing 45 MT of waste daily. 
2. That effort has now grown into four functioning plants with a combined capacity of 340 MT per day, and two more are coming up at Tharad and Radhanpur. 
3. With Banaskantha home to nearly three million livestock, Chaudhary noted the district could eventually support around 100 such plants. 
4. Beyond producing fuel, the model also boosts the value of cattle dung, enriches soil organic carbon, and encourages chemical-free, natural farming methods.

Bio-CNG Initiative: A Joint Effort Between India and Japan

Suzuki chairman Toshihiro Suzuki called the plant an important milestone in advancing green energy in India. He revealed that India and Japan have jointly committed to setting up 1,000 biogas plants across the country, and said this Banaskantha project shows that goal is progressing at a fast pace, combining rural livelihoods with sustainable energy production.