GOBARDHAN

GOBARdhan or Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan was launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, which is now known as the Jal Shakti Ministry. GOBARdhan scheme focuses on supporting rural households and farmers to undertake management of cattle waste in a scientific and hygienic manner. The main aim of the scheme is to promote sustainable management of cattle waste and generate biogas and organic fertilizer from it. 

Scheme Overview

• Scheme Name: GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) 
• Scheme Implemented: 2018 
• Scheme Fund Allocated: 10,000 crores 
• Type of Government Scheme: Centrally Sponsored Scheme 
• Sector / Sponsored Scheme: Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation 
• Website to apply: https://sbm.gov.in/  
• Helpline No: 011-24362129 

Features of GOBARdhan Scheme

Project Models of GOBARdhan Scheme

Gobardhan scheme can be implemented through various project models depending on the local conditions, availability of resources and needs of the community. The following are the 4 major project models of Gobardhan scheme, 

• Individual Household: Households which have three or more cattles can adopt this model. Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) will provide technical and financial assistance to households for constructing biogas plants. Biogas and Slurry generated from the plant can be used for cooking and manure by households and any surplus can be sold in the market. 
• Community: Under this model, biogas plant can be constructed for a minimum number of households (5 to 10). The biogas produced can be used for cooking and lighting, and organic fertilizers can be used for agriculture. The project can be managed by Gram Panchayat / Self-help groups. 

• Clusters: This model involves setting up a biogas plant in a cluster of villages, where the organic waste from all the villages is collected and processed in the biogas plant. The biogas and organic fertilizers produced can be shared among the villages and surplus can be sold in the market.  
• Commercial CBG (Compressed Biogas): In this model, raw biogas produced is compressed and can be used as vehicular fuel or sold to industries. Slurry generated is converted into bio-fertilizer and can be sold to farmers. Compressed biogas plants can be operated by Entrepreneurs / Cooperative Societies / Gaushalas etc. 

Latest News about GOBARdhan Scheme

Recently, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of 500 new ‘Waste to Wealth’ plants under the scheme for promoting circular economy with total investment of 10,000 crore.  

• Out of these 500 plants, 200 plants for compressed biogas (75 plants in rural plants) 
• 300 – community or cluster-based plants. 

Benefits of GOBARdhan Scheme

• The scheme provides a source of income to farmers by helping them to convert cattle waste into organic fertilizers, biogas and other by-products. This can help farmers generate additional income by reducing their input costs. 
• The use of organic fertilizers helps improve soil health, which in turn leads to better crop yields and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. This can be beneficial for farmers in the long run as it could reduce their dependence on expensive inputs. 
• By converting cattle waste into organic fertilizers and bio-gas, the scheme helps to reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainable farming practices.  

Challenges

• The success of the scheme depends on the active participation of farmers and villagers. Due to lack of awareness and incentives, many people are not interested in participating in the scheme.  
• The scheme requires setting up of bio-gas plants and storage facilities which is a significant challenge in many rural areas. 

Documents Required

• Aadhar Card 
• Residence Certificate 
• Passport size photograph 

How to apply?

Step 1: Visit the official website at  http://sbm.gov.in/Gobardhan/ 

Step 2: On the Homepage, Click on the ‘Registration’ icon 

Step 3: Application form will be displayed in the screen 

Step 4: Enter all the required details in application form (Mention personal details, address details, registration details like user id, password, mobile number, OTP etc.) 

Step 5: After completing the application form, Submit it online. 

Step 6: After successful registration, applicant farmers can login into their account by using username and password. 

Conclusion

The GOBARdhan scheme is expected to not only benefit the rural population by providing a source of renewable energy and organic fertilizer, but it will also help in reducing pollution caused by open burning of cattle dung and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.