Dehradun: Aiming to promote rural employment and farmers’ income in the hill state and encourage clean energy, Uttarakhand government has fixed the responsibility of the departments of drinking water, animal husbandry, UREDA, dairy, agriculture for the effective implementation of the centre’s umbrella scheme “Gobar Dhan Yojana”.
Chief secretary Radha Raturi, who held a meeting with officials concerned on Monday, has directed the drinking water department to study the effective action plan for the successful implementation of the Gobar Dhan scheme. She also underlined the need for the timely implementation of the proposed biogas schemes under the Dairy Development Department.
Ensure purchase of cow dung and grains from local farmers
She asked the officials to ensure the purchase of cow dung, grains etc. from local farmers for biogas plants. Under Dairy Development, a biogas plant with a production capacity of 400 kg of biogas per day is being set up by Garhwal Milk Union (Srinagar) on a joint venture model. A private entrepreneur has been selected for the joint venture.
A biogas plant is being set up
A biogas plant with a production capacity of 400 kg of biogas per day, a bio paint unit with a capacity of 1000 kg per day and an organic fertilizer unit with a production capacity of 3000 kg per day are being set up here. For the operation of the plant, 4 thousand kg of cow dung and about 3 thousand kg of biomass will be required daily.
According to a press release, there are about 29 milk societies and 2 Gaushalas located within a radius of 25 km from Srinagar. About 4000 kg of cow dung will be purchased for the biogas plant, covering about 150 members and 400 animals.
Another biogas plant in Rudrapur
Besides this, a biogas plant with the capacity to produce 1000 kilos of bio-CNG per day is being set up under Aanchal Pashu Aahar Nirman Shala, Rudrapur. The Gobar Gas Plant will be set up by a private partner. After operating in the stipulated period, it will be transferred to Uttarakhand Co-operative Dairy Federation.
Biogas plant for selected beneficiaries
At the meeting, information was given about future biogas schemes. Under the Individual Biogas Plant Scheme, individual biogas plants of 02 cubic meter capacity will be installed for the selected beneficiaries. About 40 to 50 kg of cow dung will be required as raw material per day which can be obtained from 4 to 5 animals. The beneficiaries will use the biogas produced from the plant as an alternative to domestic LPG.
