Maarg Manthan · Topic 12.8

National Programme on Biogas and Bio-Manure

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes · Topic 12.8

The national biogas programme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy supports small biogas plants that turn cattle dung and farm waste into biogas for cooking and slurry for use as bio-manure. It began in 1981 to 1982 as the National Project on Biogas Development and was later named the New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme, which ran from 2018 to 2019 to 2020 to 2021 with Central financial assistance for family type plants. Biogas is mostly methane at 55 to 65 percent. The efforts have since widened to include GOBARdhan, launched in 2018, and the SATAT initiative for compressed biogas, also launched in 2018.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes

At a Glance

Original project National Project on Biogas Development, 1981 to 1982
Ministry New and Renewable Energy
Recent form NNBOMP, 2018 to 2021
Linked missions GOBARdhan and SATAT, both 2018
Gas content Methane about 55 to 65 percent
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This topic covers a decentralised clean fuel. In the macro on energy it connects rural cooking, waste management and farm inputs, and it is an alternative to LPG, which the previous topic covered. Previous topic: Ujjwala Yojana (LPG Connections). Next topic: National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP).

How Has the Biogas Programme Evolved?

Stage	What it did
National Project on Biogas Development	Started in 1981 to 1982 to promote family size biogas plants, with a Central subsidy and a network of State agencies
National Biogas and Manure Management Programme	The later name for the programme in the 2000s, which added bio-manure and training
New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme	The programme of 2018 to 2019 to 2020 to 2021 for family type biogas plants of 1 to 25 cubic metres per day, with Central financial assistance and promotion of slurry use
Waste to Energy Programme	The Ministry now supports larger biogas and bio-CNG plants from urban, industrial and agricultural waste under its waste to energy work
GOBARdhan	Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan, launched on 30 April 2018 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, to turn cattle dung and farm waste into biogas, compressed biogas and manure
SATAT	Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation, launched in October 2018 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, to set up compressed biogas plants and buy the fuel for vehicles

How Does a Biogas Plant Work and What Are the Products?

Anaerobic digestion: bacteria break down cattle dung, farm waste and kitchen waste without oxygen in a closed digester, producing biogas
Composition: biogas contains about 55 to 65 percent methane, about 35 to 45 percent carbon dioxide and traces of hydrogen sulphide and water vapour
Uses: cooking, lighting, running small engines and generating power. After cleaning it can be compressed into compressed biogas, with methane above 90 percent
Slurry: the digested slurry is rich in nutrients and is used as bio-manure, which improves soil health and cuts chemical fertiliser use
Fermented organic manure: the solid form of slurry that is marketed as an organic fertiliser, with market development support
Compressed biogas: purified biogas that can replace compressed natural gas in vehicles and for cooking
Plant types: fixed dome plants such as the Deenbandhu model and floating drum plants such as KVIC are common in India
Family type plants: these small plants, supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, of 1 to 25 cubic metres per day serve one household or a group

What Else Should You Remember?

Raw material potential: India has around 300 million cattle, so there is a vast supply of dung, though only a part is collected for biogas
Installed plants: about 50 lakh family type plants have been set up since the programme began, as reported, against a large potential
Compressed biogas targets: SATAT aimed for 5,000 plants and about 15 million tonnes of compressed biogas by 2023 to 2024, and actual progress has been much slower
Blending mandate: the government has announced compressed biogas blending obligations for city gas distribution and transport fuel from 2025 to 2026, rising in later years. Treat targets as reported
GOBARdhan portal: a portal registers biogas and compressed biogas plants, and a number of new plants have been launched across districts
Swachh Bharat link: GOBARdhan links sanitation, cattle waste and energy
Role in LPG replacement: biogas can substitute LPG used in rural kitchens, which cuts import dependence, as in Ujjwala Yojana (LPG Connections)
Climate benefit: capturing methane from waste that would otherwise rot and escape lowers greenhouse gas emissions, since methane is a potent gas
Fertiliser benefit: bio-manure supports organic and natural farming, and cuts the fertiliser subsidy bill
Challenges: plants fail when dung supply is irregular, repair services are weak, and users revert to LPG when plants break down
Winter problem: gas output falls in cold regions, which needs insulated or heated digesters
Financing: compressed biogas plants need large investment, assured buyers and guaranteed prices, which has slowed private projects

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Names and years: NPBD in 1981 to 1982, NNBOMP in 2018, GOBARdhan and SATAT in 2018
Ministries: Jal Shakti for GOBARdhan, Petroleum for SATAT, and New and Renewable Energy for the biogas programme
Science: biogas composition and the meaning of anaerobic digestion
Models: Deenbandhu and KVIC plants
Common errors: mixing up GOBARdhan and SATAT, or saying biogas is mainly carbon dioxide

As an analytical point, biogas solves three problems together, namely clean cooking, waste management and fertiliser supply. The earlier family plants failed mostly for want of service and steady feedstock. Larger compressed biogas projects need assured offtake and price support, which the blending obligations aim to provide.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Programmes NPBD, NNBOMP, GOBARdhan, SATAT
Science Methane and slurry
Issues Feedstock and finance

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the mission plan that started the move to electric vehicles. Next topic: National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP).

Key People and Terms

Biogas Methane rich gas from organic waste
Anaerobic digestion Breakdown without oxygen
Slurry Residue of the digester
CBG Compressed biogas
GOBARdhan Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan
SATAT Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

NPBD started 1981 to 1982.
GOBARdhan: 30 April 2018, Jal Shakti.
SATAT: October 2018, Petroleum.
Biogas: about 55 to 65 percent methane.
Models: Deenbandhu and KVIC.

Do Not Confuse With

GOBARdhan and SATAT Waste to wealth under Jal Shakti versus compressed biogas purchase under Petroleum
Biogas and compressed biogas Raw gas versus purified vehicle grade gas
Bio-manure and chemical fertiliser Organic slurry versus synthetic nutrients

Memory Hook

Dung in the digester, gas for the stove, slurry for the soil.

Mains Angle

Questions ask whether waste to energy can serve rural energy needs. These points give a balanced frame.

Benefits Clean fuel, waste use, soil health
Concerns Feedstock, service, finance
Way forward Assured offtake, local service, blending rules

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the potential of biogas and bio-manure in rural India and the reasons why family biogas plants have had limited success.”

How to Answer

Aim Gas and manure from waste.
Tools Plants, GOBARdhan, SATAT.
Gaps Service and finance.
Way Assured offtake.

GS Relevance

Prelims: programme names, GOBARdhan, SATAT, composition of biogas, ministries. GS Paper 3: renewable energy, waste to energy, rural energy, sustainable agriculture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the national biogas programme in India?

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy supports family type biogas plants that turn cattle dung and farm waste into biogas for cooking and slurry for bio-manure. It began in 1981 to 1982 as the National Project on Biogas Development and continued as the New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme from 2018.

What is GOBARdhan?

GOBARdhan, or Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan, was launched on 30 April 2018 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It aims to convert cattle dung, farm waste and other organic waste into biogas, compressed biogas and organic manure, linking sanitation, clean energy and rural income in villages and districts.

What is SATAT?

SATAT, or Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation, is an initiative of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched in October 2018. It invites entrepreneurs to set up compressed biogas plants and assures purchase by oil marketing companies for use in vehicles, aiming at 5,000 plants, though progress has been slower than planned.

What is biogas made of?

Biogas is made by anaerobic digestion of organic waste and contains about 55 to 65 percent methane and 35 to 45 percent carbon dioxide, with traces of hydrogen sulphide. When purified to over 90 percent methane it becomes compressed biogas, which can replace compressed natural gas in vehicles.

What is the latest status of the biogas programme?

As reported, about 50 lakh family type plants have been installed since 1981, and the focus has shifted to larger compressed biogas plants under GOBARdhan, SATAT and a blending obligation for city gas and transport fuel that begins in 2025 to 2026. Check the ministry for current targets and assistance rates.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 GOBARdhan was launched in 2018 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

True

It was launched on 30 April 2018.

2 SATAT is run by the Ministry of Rural Development.

False

It is an initiative of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

3 Biogas contains about 55 to 65 percent methane.