GOBAR-DHAN Scheme launched to promote wealth and energy from waste

The Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation has launched GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) – DHAN scheme at National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) Karnal. It was launched under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) by Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Uma Bharti.

Key Facts

The GOBAR-DHAN Scheme aims to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste. It also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers and other rural people. Under it, villagers will be mobilized to create self-help groups (SHGs) and creative societies that will help in clean energy and green jobs initiative.
The scheme focuses on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste in farms to useful compost, biogas and bio-CNG, thus keeping villages clean, increasing income of rural households and generation of energy from cattle waste. It is an important element of ODF-plus strategy under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). The scheme envisages implementation of 700 bio-gas units in different states of the country in 2018-19.

Background

Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) comprises two main components for creating clean villages. They are creating open defecation free (ODF) villages and managing solid and liquid waste in villages. The Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation now is focusing on ODF-plus activities, including measures to enhance solid and liquid waste management after over 3.5 lakh villages, 374 districts and 16 States/UTs of the country were declared ODF.

Significance of Scheme

It will be hugely beneficial for country as India is home to highest cattle population in world which produces around 3 million tonnes of dung. It will encourage farmers to consider dung and other waste not just as waste but as source of income.
It will provide many benefits to rural people by keeping villages clean and sanitized, improving livestock health and increasing farm yields. Under it, biogas generation will help to increase self-reliance in energy utilized for cooking and lighting.
It will augment income of farmers and cattle herders. It will create new opportunities for jobs linked to waste collection, transportation, biogas sales etc.
It will also provide stable fuel supply in market for oil companies and accessible credit in market through government schemes and banks for entrepreneurs.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2018