Chhattisgarh to generate electricity from cow dung procured under scheme

New Delhi: After successful implementation of scheme to purchase cow dung at the cost of Rs 2 per kg, Chhattisgarh is moving towards generating electricity from cow dung. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday launched the historic power generation project, taking a step further towards realising Gandhiji's dream of 'Gram Swaraj'.

Speaking on the launch of the ambitious and historic project of power generation from cow dung at the farmers' conference organised at Bemetara district headquarters in Chhattisgarh, Baghel said that there will be participation of villagers, women and youth in the production of green energy in Chhattisgarh. He said that the world is worried about global warming. There is talk of green energy everywhere, so the government has decided to make electricity from cow dung.

In every village of Chhattisgarh, a unit to generate electricity from cow dung will be installed in Gothano, the place where cattle are kept. Baghel said that the cow dung procured from the farmers under the Godhan Nyay Yojana would be used to generate electricity. This will not only benefit the environment but will also benefit the women of self-help groups doing dung procurement work.

Under the Suraji Gaon Yojana, Gauthans have been developed in the form of Rural Industrial Park in about 6,000 villages of the state of Chhattisgarh. And other income-oriented activities are being conducted by the women of the group. Electricity generation from cow dung is also being started from October 2 in Gauthans. For this, in the first phase, units of power generation from cow dung have been installed at Rakhi in Bemetara district, Sikola in Durg and Bancharoda in Raipur district.

Bio gas plants, scrubbers and gensets have been set up in Gauthans to generate electricity from cow dung. Biogas will be prepared by adding cow dung and water in the biogas tank, due to which methane gas will be available in 50 percent quantity, from which electricity will be generated by running the genset.

Industries will be set up in Chhattisgarh, which will directly provide employment to the youth and farmers will also get a fair price for the crop. So far more than 12 lakh quintals of vermicompost, super compost manure has been produced and sold from cow dung to Gauthan. Organic farming is being promoted.