(a) whether the Government is promoting Gobar Gas plants to make Indian villages self-reliant in energy;
(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
(c) whether Panchayats are being involved for bigger community plants ;
(d) if so, the number of such plants established till date, State-wise; and
(e) if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR POWER, COAL & NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a)&(b): Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing a Central Sector Scheme ‘National Biogas and Manure Management Programme’ for promoting setting up of family type biogas plants in the country mainly to meet cooking energy requirements in rural and semi-urban areas of the country. Further, medium and large size biogas plants based on cattle dung are also being promoted for generation of power or Bio Compressed Natural Gas under the Programmes on Energy Recovery from Urban, Industrial and Agricultural Wastes and Biogas based Off-grid Power.
(c): Panchayats can also take up setting up of biogas plants under the above mentioned programmes.
(d)&(e): The State-wise break up of 47.98 lakh family type biogas plants, 217 medium size plants for off-grid power and two large projects on power generation from cattle dung installed so is given in the Annexure.