GOBARDHAN SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Government Scheme)

Context: The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, recently launched a Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan to simplify the registration process for Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) and biogas plants across the country.

GOBARdhan Scheme

• About: Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan, is a crucial umbrella initiative of the Government of India.
• Launched: In 2018 as a national priority project under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen-Phase II program.
• Nodal Ministry: The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Aim: To generate wealth and energy by converting cattle dung, agricultural residue, and other organic waste into Biogas, CBG, and bio-fertilizers.

o It adopts a whole-of-government approach and aims to convert waste into wealth, thereby promoting a circular economy.

• Focus areas of GOBAR-Dhan: to keep villages clean, increase the income of rural households, and generate energy and organic manure from cattle waste.

Unified Registration Portal

• About: This portal will serve as a centralized repository for assessing investment and participation in the Biogas/CBG (Compressed Biogas) sector at a pan India level.
• Objective: To streamline the process of setting up CBG/Biogas plants in the country.
• The Unified Registration Portal allows any government, cooperative or private entity operating or intending to set up a Biogas/CBG/Bio-CNG plant in India to obtain a registration number by enrolling in the portal.
• This registration number will enable them to avail a multitude of benefits and support from the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India.