Biogas plans in all states by 2012

The government will implement the national biogas and manure management programme in all states and union territories during the remaining period of the 11th five-year plan period (2007-12).

The Centre has earmarked Rs 563 crore as financial assistance for implementation of the programme.

The key objectives of the programme include providing clean bio-gas fuel, mainly for cooking purposes to reduce use of LPG and other conventional fuels, meeting ‘lifeline energy’ needs for cooking as envisaged in ‘Integrated Energy Policy’, improving sanitation in villages by linking sanitary toilets with biogas plants and reducing green house gas emission.

The plan envisages installation of about 6.47 lakh family-type biogas plants during the ongoing plan period across the country. The programme will be implemented by state nodal agencies, district rural development agencies, and other state government agencies. For 2009-10, the government aims to set up 150,000 family-type biogas plants.

The programme has now included some special and innovative features. It includes introduction of competitive bidding on pilot basis for setting up biogas plants with the recommended central financial assistance as upper limit, large-scale installation of biogas plants with possible clean development mechanism (CDM) benefits subject to a suitable tie-up and restricting per plant central financial assistance to the existing level of subsidy.