Early Times Report
LUCKNOW, July 23: The Yogi Adityanath-led government is set to roll out a landmark initiative under the Chief Minister's Gram-Urja Model to fast-track rural development in Uttar Pradesh. The scheme will introduce domestic biogas units in villages to cut kitchen fuel costs, boost organic manure production, and support environmental sustainability.
In its first phase, 2,250 biogas units will be installed across Ayodhya, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and Gonda. Once proven successful, the initiative will be scaled up to benefit 2.5 lakh rural households over the next four years-empowering farmers and promoting self-reliance in villages.
Each biogas unit costs Rs 39,300, out of which the farmer will pay only Rs 3,990, while the remaining cost will be subsidized through government support and the carbon credit model. The project has already received formal approval from the Department of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
According to Shyam Bihari Gupta, Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Go Seva Commission, the initiative will not only ease the lives of villagers, but also prove to be a milestone in environmental conservation. It is estimated that LPG usage in rural kitchens could drop by up to 70%, resulting in substantial savings for families.
Dr. Anurag Srivastava, OSD of the Go Seva Commission, emphasized that the biogas units will serve dual purposes, providing clean cooking gas and producing organic/natural manure from the slurry. The manure will help improve soil fertility and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers. Additionally, the biogas produced could also be used as an alternative fuel for vehicles. |
