Study being conducted to check whether biogas can be supplied to houses in villages: Shekhawat

A pilot study is being conducted on whether biogas produced from dung can be supplied to houses in villages, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Thursday.

A pilot study is being conducted on whether biogas produced from dung can be supplied to houses in villages, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Thursday. Speaking at an event on World Toilet Day, Shekhawat also emphasized on segregation of waste in villages for better solid waste management.

"India has the highest population of livestock and dung is readily available (in rural India). We are working on how we can convert this dung into wealth. We have started a program on how to strengthen the 'Gobar Dhan Yojana'. "We are conducting a pilot study on centralized and decentralized projects...how can the (bio)gas be taken to every house in the village and whether the manure can be used to generate additional income," the minister said.

He added that in parts of the country, dung is being bought from people and then converted into gas for different uses like fuel and generating electricity. Shekhawat, in a virtual event, also interacted with officials and village heads who have done exemplary work in the field of solid waste management.

India has achieved 100 percent coverage of toilets under the Open Defecation Free (ODF), a massive initiative that involved the building of toilets in rural households under the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan (Grameen). Its next version ODF Plus aims to have better solid waste management in villages. Speaking at the event, Jal Shakti Ministry Secretary U P Singh said although the feat of achieving the ODF status has been done, it is a continuous task. He said now emphasis must be put on ODF Plus which focuses on solid waste management in villages. Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State in the Jal Shakti ministry stressed building public toilets.