Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan Scheme Launched

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti has introduced a Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan (gobardhan.co.in) to streamline the registration of Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and biogas plants nationwide. 

To date, more than 1,163 biogas plants and 426 Compressed Biogas plants have been registered on the portal. 

These registered plants are eligible for support under the Market Development Assistance program of the Department of Fertilizers, which falls under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

GOBARdhan Initiative

GOBARdhan scheme is being pursued as a national programme priority under Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen-Phase II. 

Aim: 

GOBARdhan aims to support villages in effectively managing their cattle and biodegradable waste also to convert biodegradable waste, such as agricultural residues, biomass, and cattle dung, into valuable resources like biogas, CBG, and organic manure. 

Ministries involved:

It is a multi ministerial initiative involving the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation is working with Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Department of Rural Development.

• This "Whole of Government" approach not only promotes high-value biogas/CBG production but also utilizes bio-slurry.
• When used alongside chemical fertilizers, bio-slurry encourages responsible fertilizer use, reduces urea imports, and supports sustainable agriculture. From an economic perspective, GOBARdhan provides farmers with organic manure, reducing their reliance on expensive chemical fertilizers.

Market Development Assistance Scheme

The Market Development Assistance Scheme is another initiative rolled out by the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. It has a budget of Rs. 1451.82 Crore over three years (FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26) to promote the production and use of organic fertilizers generated from GOBARdhan plants. 

Goal of scheme: The goal of scheme is to encourage the widespread adoption of organic manure, leading to savings for rural households by reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers and urea. Bio-slurry has the potential to increase organic farming acreage and provide monetary benefits to farmers. 

Provisions: The MDA component ensures a level playing field for organic fertilizer producers and farmers, promoting Integrated Nutrient Management and reducing chemical fertilizer overuse. 

• The scheme also provides Market Development Assistance of 1500 rupees per metric tonne for the sale of Fermented Organic Manure or Liquid Fermented Organic Manure or Phosphate Rich Organic Manure produced at biogas and compressed biogas plants under the GOBARdhan initiative. 

Biogas

Did you know that biogas is a type of energy-rich gas that comes from the decomposition of biomass in the absence of oxygen? This renewable fuel is made from materials like agricultural waste, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, and even municipal solid waste and sewage treatment plant waste.

• Biogas is composed of methane (about 60%), carbon dioxide (around 40%), and a small amount of hydrogen sulfide. It can be used directly as fuel or processed to produce Compressed Biogas (CBG) by removing carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. CBG, which has a methane content of over 90%, is similar in composition and energy potential to commercially available natural gas.
• A biogas plant uses a biochemical process to convert biological waste into useful biogas, with certain types of bacteria playing a crucial role in the process. Biogas is primarily composed of methane and is produced from a variety of biomass materials, including crop residues, municipal and industrial sewage, livestock manure, seaweed, and paper wastes. 
• Biogas is 100% renewable and carbon-neutral, and its combustion produces no new carbon dioxide. Additionally, the production process prevents the release of methane into the atmosphere, making it environment friendly.