- Why in news
- On 16 March 2026, the Jal Shakti Ministry told Rajya Sabha about funds under the GOBARdhan scheme, including support of up to Rs 50 lakh per district and MoPNG schemes for compressed biogas.
- What it is
- GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) converts cattle dung, crop residue, kitchen and market waste into biogas and bio-slurry. It runs as part of solid waste management under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II, and also supports compressed biogas (CBG) projects with several ministries involved.
- Support per district
- Up to Rs 50 lakh per district is available for a community or cluster-based biogas plant under SBM(G) Phase II.
- Nodal ministry
- The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is the nodal ministry for GOBARdhan.
- Pipeline scheme
- The Development of Pipeline Infrastructure scheme helps CBG offtake. Its outlay is Rs 994.5 crore for FY 2024-25 to 2028-29.
- Nature of SBM(G)
- SBM(G) is a Centrally Sponsored, demand-driven scheme. Funds go to States as a consolidated amount based on their Annual Implementation Plans.
- Monitoring
- Project proponents report status and production data on the GOBARdhan Portal.
Don’t confuse with SBM(G) funding vs MoPNG schemes: The Rs 50 lakh per district support comes via SBM(G) under Jal Shakti. The machinery and pipeline schemes are run by MoPNG.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Turns rural waste into energy and organic manure, supporting sanitation and a circular economy.
- Adds farm income and rural jobs and reduces dependence on imported fuel.
Problems
- Reported disbursal is far below sanction (Rs 0.91 crore under the pipeline scheme so far), pointing to slow implementation.
- Assured feedstock supply and offtake for CBG plants remain hard to organise.
Way forward
- Speed up disbursal and monitor plants through the GOBARdhan portal.
- Strengthen biomass aggregation and pipeline links so that CBG finds buyers.
Put in your answer
Whole-of-Government approach: Many ministries support CBG growth, showing convergence between sanitation, energy and agriculture.
Feedstock conversion: GOBARdhan treats animal waste, kitchen leftovers, crop residue and market waste as resources.
- 2026Mains GS3 · Q17Challenges to solid waste management, policy framework, and Delhi and Indore case studies
- 2018Mains GS3 · Q6Impediments to disposing solid waste and safely removing accumulated toxic wastes
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q6Achieving energy independence through clean technology and biotechnology's role by 2047
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting scheme on biogas under SBM(G) Phase II, nodal ministry MoPNG. Scheme facts are 16% of Prelims, but this reply is mostly funding detail.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.