Swachh Bharat Mission: Gobardhan scheme launched to generate energy from solid waste

Karnal: Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti, on Monday launched the Gobardhan scheme from Haryana's Karnal district with an aim to positively contribute to cleanliness and generate energy from solid waste.

Launching the scheme at the National Dairy Research Institute in the district, she spoke on the importance of 'Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources' - an acronym from Gobar - scheme as a component of the Open Defecation Free-plus strategy across the country.

"People should accept change, follow change and participate in change happening in rural India under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Under Gobardhan scheme, cooking gas would be provided to rural habitations and technical support would ensure that the scheme functioned on a sustainable basis," Bharti said, addressing a gathering.

"The scheme focuses on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste from farms and fields to useful compost, biogas and bio-CNG," she said.

The scheme will help in keeping villages clean, generate energy and in increasing the income of farmers.

Bharti expressed confidence that as Haryana has performed well in implementing the 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign, it would also do well in implementing the Gobardhan Yojana.

Referring to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, she said a few areas have become 100 percent free from open defecation.

The guidelines for implementing the Gobardhan scheme were also shared at the launch, which was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.