The Ministry of Jal Shakti reported that under the operational guidelines of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase II financial assistance of up to Rs five mn per district is available for community biogas plants under the Galvanizing Organic Bio Agro Resources Dhan scheme. Consolidated central funds are released to States and Union territories as per approved annual implementation plans and budget availability.

GOBARdhan seeks to convert bio waste including animal waste kitchen leftovers crop residue and market waste into biogas and bio slurry to improve village cleanliness and waste management. The Government has adopted a whole of government approach involving multiple ministries and departments to promote compressed biogas projects. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas serves as the nodal ministry and is implementing support measures.

MoPNG is implementing a scheme to support compressed biogas producers for procurement of biomass aggregation machinery with a total outlay of Rs 5.6475 bn and reports that 37 proposals have been approved with assistance of about Rs 2.48 bn. Sanctions have been issued to several States. So far Rs 17 mn has been disbursed in Punjab.

A separate scheme for development of pipeline infrastructure has a total outlay of Rs 9.945 bn with sanctioned assistance totalling Rs 563.1 mn across States. Sanctions include allocations for Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh and so far Rs 9.1 mn has been disbursed. The projects are intended to facilitate offtake and scale compressed biogas production.

The projects are reported to support rural employment augment farmers income and advance a circular economy through rural infrastructure development. Project proponents report status and production data on the GOBARdhan portal and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation monitors community and cluster based plants. MoPNG is organising workshops seminars and meetings to raise awareness among entrepreneurs and farmers and to encourage establishment of further projects.