The Government has taken various steps to promote and encourage the establishment of new Bio-CNG plants across the country, including rural areas, inter alia, comprising of:

1. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing Waste to Energy (WTE) Programme under the umbrella of National Bioenergy Programme. The WTE Programme has a budget outlay of Rs 600 crore for the period FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. This Programme, inter alia, supports setting up of plants for generation of BioCNG from urban, industrial and agricultural waste by providing central financial assistance (CFA).
2. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative envisages setting up of 5000 BioCNG plants with production target of 15 MMT of BioCNG by 2023-24. SATAT initiative encourages entrepreneurs to set up BioCNG plants, produce & supply BioCNG to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for sale as automotive fuels.
3. Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) launched Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR-DHAN) scheme in 2018. Gobardhan is an integral part of Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II under Solid Waste Management. The operational guidelines of Phase-II of SBM(G) provide for financial assistance up to Rs.50.00 lakh per district for the period of 2020-21 to 2024-25 for setting up of cluster/community level biogas plants.
4. Concession is available on custom duty for import of machinery and components required for initial setting up of projects for generation of Power and Bio-CNG from non-conventional materials.
5. BioCNG/Compressed Bio-Gas has been included under Priority Sector Lending.
6. Eight Biogas Development and Training Centers (BDTCs) have been established at India’s premier Institutions to provide Technical Assistance, R & D, Testing and Validation of New Biogas Models / Designs, field inspections of biogas plants, and training and skill development.
7. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 in June 2015 and included the provisions for usage in motor vehicles Bio-CNG produced from waste (including MSW).
8. National Policy on Biofuels-2018 promotes the production of Bio-CNG and other biofuels.
9. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s autonomous institute National Institute of Bio Energy (NIBE), Kapurthala is providing capacity building through M. Tech program on Renewable Energy in joint collaboration with NIT Jalandhar. The institute has also signed MOUs with CSIR-CMERI, Junagarh Agriculture University, Indian Biogas Association and other prominent institutes for research in biogas, solid waste management and other bioenergy aspects.
10. NIBE is also collaborating with US Energy labs, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, for research work in bioenergy sector.

This information was given by Shri R.K Singh, Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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