· The Union Minister for Jal Shakti launched the Unified Registration
Portal for GOBARdhan which will act as a one
stop repository to assess investment and participation in Biogas/CBG sector
at pan India level and more importantly streamline the process of setting up
CBG/Biogas plants in India.
· Any government, cooperative or private entity operating or intending to
setup a Biogas/CBG/Bio CNG plant in India can obtain a registration number by
enrolling in this unified registration portal.
· States have been advised to get their CBG/Biogas plant operators
registered on the portal on priority to avail existing and upcoming support
from the Union Government.
· Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro
Resources Dhan
(GOBARdhan) is a vital umbrella initiative of Government of India, based on the
whole of Government approach and aims to
convert waste to wealth towards promoting circular economy.
· Government of India intends to build a robust ecosystem for setting up
Biogas/Compressed Biogas (CBG)/ Bio-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) plants to
drive sustainable economic growth and promote a circular economy.
· The objective of GOBARdhan is
to generate wealth and energy by converting cattle dung, agri residue and other
organic waste into Biogas, CBG and bio fertilizers. This initiative comprises
the entire gamut of schemes, programmes, policies promoting the conversion of
organic waste like cattle dung, agri-residue etc. to biogas/CBG/Bio CNG. It
encompasses schemes/programmes under various Ministries & Departments viz.
Waste to Energy Scheme of M/o New and Renewable Energy, SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable
Transportation) scheme of M/o Petroleum and Natural Gas, SBM(G) Phase II of
DDWS, Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
of Dept. of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare and Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development
Fund (AHIDF) of Dept. of Animal Husbandry & Dairy.
· GOBARdhan is being implemented in partnership with State Governments and
Private Sector including entrepreneurs, societies etc. Any plant/project
producing CBG/Biogas (more than 10 cuM/day) and bio slurry as principal outputs
is eligible to be under the ambit of GOBARdhan.
· GOBARdhan initiative is envisioned to contribute significantly towards
reaching India’s climate action goals
particularly achieving net-zero
emissions by 2070.
· With the highest livestock
population in the world, India produces vast amounts of animal waste. CBG/Biogas sector can play a
crucial role in India’s energy transition, ensuring energy security and
affordability, enhancing entrepreneurship,
providing rural employment, and boosting local economies.
· Transitioning to CBG/Biogas can contribute to job creation for
semi-skilled and skilled labor in multiple areas viz. waste collection,
operations, construction etc. It will benefit rural people in general and women
in particular from the use of clean fuel, improved cleanliness in villages and
consequent improvement in health outcomes (through decreased incidence of vector borne and respiratory diseases).
· Initiative will also augment nation’s efforts toward achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) viz. SDG
3: Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation, SDG 7:
Affordable & Clean energy, SDG 13: Climate Action; amongst others.
Further, the initiative contributes significantly towards circular economy, and
Govt. of India’s Mission LiFE.
Significance of Unified Registration Portal of
GOBARdhan:
· Unified Registration Portal of GOBARdhan is a perfect example of Cooperative Federalism as the
stakeholder Central Ministries, all line departments of Centre and States have
come together in development and deployment of the portal.
· With more than 650 GOBARdhan plants and this portal, we have made
significant achievement in our waste to wealth generation journey. The portal will not only ensure Ease of Doing Business (EODB) but with
aggregated data from all Ministries & Departments across Centre and States,
the initiative will also attract greater investment from the private players.
· The portal is available in the public domain to ensure transparency as well as making data available for research and related purposes.
Test Yourself-
V
UPSC Mains PYQs Q. In the
villages itself no form of credit organisation will be suitable except the
cooperative society.” – All India Rural Credit Survey. Discuss this statement
in the background of agricultural finance in India. What constraints and
challenges do financial institutions supplying agricultural finance face? How
can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients? (UPSC Mains 2014)
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