Question : Installation of Biogas Plants

(a) whether support to installation of biogas plants in the country through small size biogas plants and the Bio-energy Programme has been continued for the period of 2021-22 to 2025-26 only to meet the already created liabilities and no new projects are to be sanctioned in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has provided Central Financial Assistance which was being provided under the above schemes when they were being implemented in the country;
(d) if so, the total number of small size biogas plants given to Bihar along with the funds sanctioned and spent thereon;
(e) whether under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation, the Government is promoting the production of Compressed Biogas as an alternative green transport fuel in Bihar and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) whether the Government proposes to establish a small size biogas plant in Bihar and if so, the details thereof, district-wise including Gopalganj?

THE MINISTER OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER
(SHRI R.K. SINGH)
(a)&(b) Yes sir. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been implementing the scheme “New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP)” for support to installation of Small size biogas plants (1-25 m3 biogas per day). After 31st March, 2021. In accordance with the recommendation of the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) constituted for appraisal of the programme, the National Bioenergy Programme, including the scheme for small biogas plants, has been continued for the period of FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 500 Crore only to meet the already created liabilities and no new projects are to be sanctioned.
Reasons behind the recommendation of the EFC are as follows :-
i) Due to the fiscal constraints and resource crunch, the cap of 5.5 times the actual scheme expenditure of Financial Year 2019-20 needs to be adhered to.
ii) Ministry must first clear the committed liabilities under the Bio Energy Programme.
(c) & (d) Yes, Sir. The Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to support installation of small biogas plants under the above scheme was being provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in the country including in Bihar State. The CFA varied from Rs. 7500/- to Rs. 35,000/- per plant based on size of the plant in cubic meter, category of beneficiary, geographical location/region in the country.
In the state of Bihar, a total 101 number of small size biogas plants have been installed during the year 2020-21 by the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Mission of the Rural Development Department, Government of Bihar for which a total CFA of Rs. 15.64 Lakh has been released by MNRE.
(e) Under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT), Government of India is promoting the production of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) as an alternative green transport fuel wherein Oil and Gas Marketing Companies (OGMCs) are procuring the produced CBG from the entrepreneurs across the country including Bihar. So far, Oil and Gas marketing companies have issued 100 Letter of Intents to entrepreneurs in Bihar under the SATAT initiative.
(f) No sir. The scheme for installation of small size biogas plants was valid only up to 31.03.2021 for issuing new sanctions.
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