Uttar Pradesh

• 31 Oct 2022

Uttar Pradesh set to become Top Ethanol Producer in India

Why In News?

• On October 30, 2022, Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Sugar Industry) Sanjay Bhoosreddy told the media that Uttar Pradesh is all set to become the top ethanol producer in the country. The size of the industry in the state has crossed Rs 12,000 crore.

Key Points

• Additional Chief Secretary (Sugar Industry) Sanjay Bhoosreddy informed that the ethanol capacity of Uttar Pradesh has been estimated at 2 billion litres per year, which is almost eight times more than 240 million litres per year five years ago. The state's ethanol capacity is expected to reach 2.25 billion litres per annum in the next few years.
• He informed that private sector distilleries have invested about Rs 7,500 crore in the last five years to upgrade the overall ethanol capacity of the state.
• The state government is trying to integrate sugarcane crop with an attractive ethanol value chain to provide remunerative prices to farmers and protect the sector from the cyclical nature of the sugar market.
• Sanjay Bhoosreddy said that in the current 2022-23 sugarcane crushing season, five private mills will manufacture ethanol directly from sugarcane juice without producing sugar. In addition, 71 other mills will produce ethanol from B-heavy molasses.
• Meanwhile, the state's sugarcane area is estimated to increase by 3 percent or 84,000 hectares to over 2.85 million hectares, while sugarcane production in the current season is estimated at 23.50 million metric tonnes. A total of 120 sugar mills- 93 private units, 24 cooperative units and three Uttar Pradesh State Sugar Corporation units will operate during the current sugarcane crushing season.
• It is known that more than 4.5 million rural households are associated with the Uttar Pradesh sugarcane sector, which includes sugar, ethanol, jaggery, power cogeneration, jaggery, khandsari (refined sugar) etc. in its by-product portfolio. The consolidated annual sugarcane economy in the state is about Rs 50,000 crore.

The State Government is Rejuvenating the Ganga and its Tributaries

Why In News?

• On October 28, 2022, Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh said that the state government is engaged in building proper sewerage infrastructure on tributaries of Ganga by increasing public-private partnership in the second phase of Namami Gange programme (for the period 2021-2026) and is emphasizing on circular water economy model, sludge and septage management etc.

Key Points

• Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh said that in pursuance of the instructions issued by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the ambitious Namami Gange project is being taken forward in the state through various initiatives to restore the importance of Ganga and to conserve and protect it.
• He informed that a total of eight projects will be completed in the state in just four months from September 2022 to December 2022. These projects include three STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) of 72 MLD capacity for Naini, Phaphamau and Jhunsi areas of Prayagraj at a cost of Rs 767.59 crore.
• Similarly, construction of 160 MLD capacity STP at a cost of Rs 967.23 crore in Kanpur Nagar, 15 MLD capacity interception and diversion structure at Unnao at a cost of Rs 102.2 crore and interception and diversion structure of 5 MLD capacity at Shuklaganj in Unnao at a cost of Rs 65.18 crore are being constructed.
• Besides, interception and diversion structures of 17 MLD capacity are being constructed at Sultanpur at a cost of Rs 70.18 crore, 10 MLD capacity at Budhana at a cost of Rs 48.76 crore and 30 MLD capacity in Jaunpur at a cost of Rs 206 crore. The construction of a 14 MLD capacity interception and diversion structure in Baghpat at a cost of Rs 77.36 crore will be completed by December 2022.
• The estimated sewage generation in the state is around 5,500 MLD, a large part of which is treated by 114 STPs installed in the state, with a total capacity of 3,539.72 MLD.
• To bridge this gap, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has proposed several sewerage projects to the central government. As a result, the Central Government has sanctioned a total of 55 sewerage infrastructure projects for construction of STPs of 1,574.24 MLD capacity in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 11,433.06 crore.
• It is known that due to continuous monitoring through continuous review meetings organized by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) has been observed in the Ganga flowing in Uttar Pradesh (Kannauj to Varanasi).
• During 2014 and 2022, the water quality criteria for bathing was met at all comparable locations (all 20 locations), where DO (dissolved oxygen) improved in 16 out of 20 places, while 14 out of 20 places BOD and FC have improved in 18 out of 20 places.
• The central government had earlier said that no sewerage infrastructure project sanctioned for Prayagraj was completed before 2014. Three STPs of 42+16+14 MLD capacity were also sanctioned by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to treat excess wastewater.
• The NMCG has also approved a project to upgrade the existing STPs at Naini, Salori and Rajapur. Keeping in view the situation in Prayagraj, NMCG has approved both these projects on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).