Rural people depend upon biomass fuels, such as fire wood, animal waste and crop residues for meeting cooking and heating energy requirements. These fuels are burnt in an in-efficient manner in traditional chulhas, causing not only economic loss to the nation but also health problems to women. While the present level of consumption of firewood is considered unsustainable, the burning of animal waste and agricultural residues deprives our soils of much needed organic matter, adversely affecting soil health and agricultural productivity. Fortunately, technologies have been developed indigenously to produce modern biomass fuel, such as biogas from cattle dung and other organic wastes and to burn biomass in an efficient manner in improved chulhas.

3.2 The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, therefore, continues to implement a Centrally Sponsored Scheme National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP), a modified version of the Ninth Plan Scheme on National Project on Biogas Development (NPBD), with the objectives to promote family type biogas plants and biogas power stations. These programmes depend upon developing and involving rural entrepreneurs and women self-help groups. Rural Energy Entrepreneurship and Institutional Development (REEID) and Women and Renewable Energy Development (WRED), initiated on a pilot basis in 2000-01, continued during 2002-03. While REEID scheme aims at developing and strengthening local institutions and training for promoting renewable energy entrepreneurship, the main objective of WRED scheme is to facilitate women self-help groups to optimally use renewable energy systems.

NATIONAL BIOGAS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

3.3 Biogas is produced using a fermentation process wherein complex organic molecules present in organic wastes are converted into methane, carbon dioxide and traces of other gases. Indigenously developed `biogas (gobar gas) plants' are simple and easy-to-operate. Biogas, which contains about 55 to 70 per cent methane, is an efficient fuel when burnt in specially designed stoves for cooking purposes and in silk mantle lamps for lighting. It can also be used in dual fuel engines for motive power and when attached with alternators for generation of electricity. The left-over digested slurry serves as an enriched manure for agriculture and pisciculture.

3.4 The National Biogas Management Programme (NBMP) is a modified version of the National Project on Biogas Development (NPBD), which was implemented during 1981-82 to 2001-02. Its objectives are: (i) to provide clean and cheap source of biogas energy; (ii) to produce and use enriched organic manure; (iii) to develop management systems for production of value added products; (iv) to improve sanitation and hygiene by attaching toilets with biogas plants; (v) to mitigate drudgery of women and girl children; (vi) to generate employment in rural areas; and (vii) to set up biogas power stations in cattle-based institutions.

Technology

3.5 The main approved designs of biogas plants are: (i) floating gas holder type, popularly called "Indian or KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) Model", (ii) the fixed dome type, commonly known as "Deenbandhu Model" and (iii) bag type portable digester made of rubberised nylon fabric. Fixed dome models using different construction materials have also been approved viz. the ferro-cement Deenbandhu Model and the pre-fabricated reinforced cement concrete model.

A floating drum biogas plant in village Garobadha, district West Garo Hills, Meghalaya

Achievement

3.6 Against an estimated potential of setting up of 120 lakh family type biogas plants, a cumulative total of 33.70 lakh plants have been set up so far in the country, thereby covering over 28 per cent of the potential. For 2002-03, a target of setting up of 1.70 lakh family type biogas plants was planned initially with budget estimates of Rs.59.90 crore. However, a target of only 1.20 lakh plants has been allocated to States and agencies as most of the States were affected by drought. About 70,440 plants have been completed during the period April to December 2002, which is almost 117 per cent over the target of 60,000 plants planned for the corresponding period. State-wise potential and cumulative achievement and State-wise and agency-wise targets and achievements for 2002-03 are mentioned in Table-3.1. An additional demand of targets totalling 30,000 plants has been received from a few States and agencies.