The Gobar-Dhan Yojana - help in Clean Energy and Green Jobs

The Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR-DHAN) scheme was first announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley  during his budget speech on February 1. According to Jaitley, the scheme would focus on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste in farms to compost, biogas and  bio-CNG. “The Gobar-Dhan Yojana will help in keeping the village clean while increasing the income of farmers and cattle herders,” PM Modi had said after the budget.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of biogas and said that the GOBAR-dhan scheme will also generate an alternate source of income for the farmers. “The GOBAR-Dhan yojana must also be seen as a source of income for the farmers of rural India,” Modi said.

The PM also appealed to the citizens to create self-help groups and creative societies that would help in the “clean energy and green jobs” initiative. He also announced an online trading platform to connect farmers to buyers of agricultural waste facilitating the GOBAR-dhan scheme.

Days after the budget was announced, the BJP-led Haryana government launched the Gobardhan Yojana to provide organic manure and cow urine with an aim to benefit farmers. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said a provision of Rs. 11 crore had been made to provide benefits of various projects under this scheme.

The scheme will be hugely beneficial for country as India is home to highest cattle population in world (around 300 million in number) which produces around 3 million tonnes of dung. It will encourage farmers to consider dung and other waste not just as waste but as source of income.

The scheme will provide many benefits to rural people by keeping villages clean and sanitized, improving livestock health and increasing farm yields. Under it, biogas generation will help to increase self-reliance in energy utilized for cooking and lighting. The scheme will augment income of farmers and cattle herders. It will create new opportunities for jobs linked to waste collection, transportation, biogas sales etc. It will also provide stable fuel supply in market for oil companies and accessible credit in market through government schemes and  banks for entrepreneurs.  Under it, villagers will be mobilized to create self-help groups (SHGs) and creative societies that will help in clean energy and green jobs initiative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi enlisted the ways on how the newly launched 'Gobar Dhan Yojana' can be beneficial to people in rural India. Prime Minister Modi stressed on the dual benefits of the scheme- cleanliness and revenue generation for rural India

Underscoring the benefits of green energy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi enlisted the ways on how the newly launched 'Gobar Dhan Yojana' can be beneficial to people in rural India.

He urged farmers of rural India to "see animal dung and garbage not just as waste, but as a source of income" and added that through the scheme, "animal health will improve and productivity will increase, biogas will increase self-reliance in energy for cooking and lighting. This will also add to the income of farmers and cattle owners."

To ensure the benefits are accrued, the Prime Minister also announced setting up of an online trading platform for 'Gobar Dhan Yojana' that will connect farmers to the buyers so that farmers get the right price for animal dung and agricultural waste.

Prime Minister Modi further said, "I urge entrepreneurs, especially the sisters living in rural India to come forward. By making self help groups, by creating cooperative societies, take full advantage of this opportunity. Become a participant in this movement of Clean Energy and Green jobs."

Chander Mohan

Krishi Jagran/New Delhi