Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan Launched

• 03 Jun 2023

For Prelims: GOBARdhan Scheme, Biogas/Compressed Biogas, Mission LiFE,

For Mains: Significance and Benefits of GOBARdhan, Waste to Energy

Why in News?

Recently, the Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan was launched as a part of the Government of India's initiative to convert waste to wealth and promote a circular economy.

What are the Key Features of the Portal?

• About:
  • The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, has developed the portal to facilitate the setting up of Biogas/Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants.
• Objectives and Scope:
  • The portal acts as a one-stop repository for assessing investment and participation in the Biogas/CBG sector at the pan India level.
  • It streamlines the process of setting up CBG/Biogas plants
• Enrollment:
  • Any government, cooperative, or private entity intending to set up a Biogas/CBG/Bio CNG plant in India can enroll in the portal and obtain a registration number.
    • The registration number enables access to various benefits and support from the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India.
  • States are advised to prioritize the registration of their CBG/Biogas plant operators on the portal to avail existing and upcoming support from the Union Government.
• Benefits:
  • Stakeholder Participation:
    • The launch of the portal demonstrates cooperative federalism, with stakeholders from central Ministries, line departments of the Centre and States collaborating on its development and deployment.
    • The Union Minister of Jal Shakti emphasizes the significant achievements in waste to wealth generation through more than 650 GOBARdhan plants and the unified registration portal.
  • Ease of Doing Business:
    • The portal ensures ease of doing business and attracts greater investment from private players in the Biogas/CBG sector.
  • Aligns with Climate Action Goals:
    • It aligns with India's climate action goals, promotes clean energy, rural employment, improved health outcomes, and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Govt. of India’s Mission LiFE.
  • Strengthen Supply Chain:
    • The Union Government aims to strengthen the CBG/Biogas supply chain through biomass aggregation, grid pipeline connectivity, organic farming practices, research and development, and continuous engagement with stakeholders.

What is GOBARdhan Initiative?

• About:
  • Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) is a crucial umbrella initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
  • In 2018, the government launched this scheme as a national priority project under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen-Phase II program.
• Objective:
  • To support villages safely manage their cattle waste, agricultural waste and in long run all organic waste.
  • To support communities convert their cattle and organic waste to wealth using decentralized systems.
  • Promote environmental sanitation and curb vector borne diseases through effective disposal of waste in rural areas.
  • Convert organic waste, especially cattle waste to biogas and fertilizer for use in rural areas.
• Potential Benefits:
  • Effective biodegradable waste management.
  • Reduction of GHG emission.
  • Reduction in import of crude oil.
  • Employment opportunity for the local community.
  • Boost to entrepreneurship.
  • Additional income for farmers/ local village community from organic waste.
  • Promotion of organic farming.
• Models of Scheme:
  • Individual Household:
    • This model can be adopted by households which have three (3) or more cattles. The biogas and slurry generated from the plants are used for cooking and as manure by the households.
  • Community:
    • The Biogas plants can be constructed for a minimum number of households (5 to 10). The plants can be operated and managed by GP/SHGs.
    • The gas generated will be supplied to households/restaurants / institutions and slurry can be used by the community as organic manure in agriculture or sold to farmers.
  • Cluster:
    • In this model, individual Biogas plants are installed in number of households in a village/ group of villages.
    • The biogas generated is used by the households and the slurry is collected at a common place, separated to solid and liquid parts and then fortified and sold as biofertilizers.
  • Commercial CBG:
    • CBG plants can be set up by Entrepreneurs / Cooperative Societies/ Gaushalas etc.
    • The raw biogas produced is compressed and can be used as vehicular fuel and / or sold to industries.
    • The slurry generated is converted into organic manure / bio-fertilizer and can be sold to farmers.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. What are the impediments in disposing the huge quantities of discarded solid waste which are continuously being generated? How do we remove safely the toxic wastes that have been accumulating in our habitable environment? (2018)

Source: PIB