New Delhi: “The GOBAR Dhan scheme will ensure sustainability of open defecation free (ODF) by implementing ODF plus activities and will convert waste into energy”, said Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation Uma Bharti at the launch of GOBAR Dhan scheme. The Galvanizing Organic Bio Agro Resources (GOBAR) Dhan scheme which was first announced in Budget 2018 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley got a green signal today. Minister Uma Bharti and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today launched the scheme from Karnal, Haryana.
करनाल के NDRI में गोबरधन योजना की शुरआत की। #Waste2Wealth की इस पहल से गांव स्तर पर बायोडिग्रेडेबल कचरे से बायोगैस और खाद बनाने की प्रक्रिया को बढ़ावा मिलेगा। #GOBARDHAN pic.twitter.com/k8eRMsBorH
— Uma Bharti (@umasribharti) April 30, 2018
GOBHAR Dhan scheme is an important part of ODF plus strategy of Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G) which will support villages in bio-waste management. The scheme has been introduced to ensure better environment and generate wealth from waste, will see conversion of cattle dung and solid agricultural waste in farms to compost fertilisers, bio-gas and CNG.
GOBAR Dhan scheme proposes to cover 700 projects across the country in 2018-2019. The scheme will be implemented in two phases that is 350 projects in first half of the year and rest in the second half.
Union Minister of state for Drinking Water and Sanitation, SS Ahluwalia, Secretary Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Parameswaran Iyer were present at the launch along with other dignitaries. Various facets of bio-gas production were explained at a technical session planned at the launch.
Launched GOBAR-Dhan scheme on Holy Buddha Purnima at National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal. This is a Gr8 Change 2make farmers self-reliant convert waste 2 wealth & energy and improve lives of people in Villages. @narendramodi @umasribharti @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/goGZXPAP3R
— SS Ahluwalia (@SSAhluwaliaMP) April 30, 2018
6 Objectives Of The GOBAR Dhan Scheme
The main aim of the scheme is to ensure cleaner villages through solid waste management, increased rural income and reduced environmental impact. With this, the scheme will impact different sectors.
- Health – According to WHO, five lakh people die in India alone, due to indoor air pollution. Burning of dung cakes and firewood is one of the major causes behind air pollution, but with this scheme, there will be a decline in it. Reduction in waste stagnation will also lead to better health and decrease in incidences of sanitation related diseases like malaria.
- Sanitation – By reducing source of pollution, linking toilets to biogas, reducing waste by converting them to fertilisers, sanitation can be improved.
- Organic Fertiliser – Natural manure can help farmers in supplementing chemical fertilisers. This will also aid in the productivity.
- Energy – By converting bio-waste to bio-energy villages will become self-reliant in terms of clean energy and this conversion will again lead to better health.
- Empowerment – When bio-gas will be produced then women will not have to go in search of firewood or spend hours making dung cakes. This will save time, earnings and energy which can be utilised somewhere else.
- Employment – With the start of the scheme, youth can get their hands on jobs like collecting waste, transporting waste to treatment plants, management of plant, sale of bio-gas, and many more.
Sharing the benefits of the scheme, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar took it to twitter and said, “This plan will prove helpful in converting cattle dung and solid waste into useful manure, biogas and Bio-CNG. The scheme will also help to keep villages clean and generate energy on the other hand where the income of farmers and shepherds will increase.”
यह योजना मवेशियों के गोबर और ठोस अपशिष्ट को उपयोगी खाद, Biogas और Bio-CNG में परिवर्तित करने में सहायक सिद्ध होगी। इस योजना से जहां एक तरफ किसानों और चरवाहों की आय में बढ़ोतरी होगी वहीं दूसरी ओर गांवों को स्वच्छ रखने और ऊर्जा उत्पन्न करने में भी मदद मिलेगी।
— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) April 30, 2018
Earlier in February during his 41st Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also talked about GOBAR Dhan scheme and explained how other countries are making use of it. He said,
India is home to the highest cattle population in the world with the daily output of 3 million tonnes of cow dung which could be utilised effectively. In some countries in Europe and in China, animal dung is already being used to produce biogas and energy. Till now, we were lacking in infrastructure and capacity to utilise our vast resources of cow dung. Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, we are moving rapidly to make good use of cow dung.
