Gandhinagar, May 15 (IANS) In a significant step towards achieving self-reliance in clean cooking fuel, nearly 1,000 tribal households near the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar are moving ahead to equip biogas plants in their homes.

More than 600 biogas plants have already become operational, bringing smiles to the faces of families who have long remained dependent on traditional means and are now set to witness the light of prosperity in their homes.

The initiative, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), aims to reduce dependence on traditional firewood while ensuring access to clean, sustainable energy for rural households.

Installation of biogas plants is proceeding at a rapid pace. The ambitious project, currently underway across 89 villages surrounding Ekta Nagar, is making the kitchens of these tribal families smoke-free.

The primary objective of this scheme is to promote green energy as an alternative to traditional fuels. Families possessing at least three livestock animals are being provided with a flexible biogas plant with a capacity of two cubic meters.

Project Coordinator Dheeraj Bhil told IANS about the project, “1,000 beneficiaries have been selected. These beneficiaries are receiving a 100 percent subsidy; they do not have to pay any money. The government bears the entire cost, and the plant is installed free of charge.”

Each beneficiary is required to feed approximately 10 kilograms of cow dung and 90 kilograms of water into the plant every morning. The gas generated from this process is sufficient to cook meals for a family comprising 7 to 8 members. On average, this results in a saving of two LPG cylinders per month.

A couple of beneficiaries also shared their experience.

Mahesh Tadvi remarked, “We own two buffaloes and one cow, and their dung is being used to generate gas. Previously, gathering firewood required a great deal of effort, but that problem has now been resolved. We are utilizing the money we save to fund our children’s education.”

Another villager, Sangeeta Tadvi, said, “We no longer have to travel to the market to procure gas cylinders. The biogas plant generates gas for cooking and also produces organic manure, which we are utilizing in our fields and gardens.”

This initiative not only saves on fuel costs but also reduces the practice of felling trees.

–IANS

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