GOBAR-DHAN Scheme (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan)

✦Key Features

• 500+ community biogas plants completed; 37 CBG plants operational (Jan 2026); 222 under construction
• Unified Registration Portal: 792 CBG + 1,413 biogas plants registered
• Reduces methane emissions from cattle waste; provides clean cooking and vehicle fuel
• Manure byproduct: fermented slurry used as organic fertiliser
• Linked to SATAT (CBG), SBM-G (village cleanliness), and PM-PRANAM (fertilizer reduction)
• PM Modi: make cattle wealth from galyan (problem) to kalyan (benefit)
• Circular economy: waste in, clean fuel + manure out

✓Eligibility Criteria

• Gram Panchayats that aim to manage cattle and organic waste effectively in rural areas.
• Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Cooperatives active in the field of agriculture or sanitation.
• Private entrepreneurs interested in setting up biogas or Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plants.
• Implementing agencies designated by the State or District level committees.

★Benefits

• Conversion of organic and cattle waste into clean energy such as biogas or CBG.
• Production of high-quality organic manure to improve soil health and crop productivity.
• Improvement in overall rural sanitation and reduction in environmental pollution.
• Creation of local employment opportunities and additional income for rural households.

▶Application Process

• Register on the Unified GOBAR-Dhan portal managed by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• Submit a detailed project proposal outlining the waste processing capacity and technology to be used.
• Obtain technical and administrative clearance from the designated district level committee.
• Receive sanctioned financial assistance in installments based on project construction milestones.

₹ Budget Allocation

500

Funding Ratio (Centre:State): Assistance up to Rs. 50 lakh per district under SBM(G) guidelines; commercial plants are bank-loan driven with central subsidies

Historical Context

Launched on April 30, 2018, as a part of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) to address the gap in solid waste management in rural areas, specifically cattle dung and agri-waste.

Sub-Schemes

Challenges

• High initial investment costs for large-scale biogas plants
• Fragmented cattle ownership making feedstock collection difficult
• Inadequate pricing and off-take mechanisms for organic manure (FOM)
• Technical hurdles in maintaining optimal temperature in biogas digesters during winter
• Limited awareness among small-holder farmers regarding the commercial value of agri-residue

Reforms & Recommendations

• Mandating a percentage of organic manure usage in government-aided agriculture programs
• Streamlining the CBG off-take process through OMCs
• Providing viability gap funding for small-scale community plants

Performance Statistics

SDG Linkages

Constitutional Backing

Technology Used

Success Stories

Key Takeaways

• Focus on 5-M model: Manure, Methane, Money, Mindset, and Machine
• Unified portal for tracking and registration of all biogas projects
• Creation of wealth from waste while cleaning villages
• Production of Fermented Organic Manure (FOM) to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers

Convergence Schemes

• Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (Phase II)
• SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation)
• PKVY (Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana)
• NRLM (National Rural Livelihoods Mission)

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