The Union Cabinet on 6 August 2026 approved the GOBARdhan National Circular Bioenergy Scheme, with an outlay of ₹23,731 crore, to convert organic waste into compressed biogas (CBG) and bio-slurry. The scheme will run from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36 under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
It processes animal waste, crop residue, kitchen waste and market waste, and brings the earlier, fragmented CBG support under a single national framework.
India imports nearly half of its natural gas requirement. About 55-60% of its LNG imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and, according to the government's note on the scheme, disruptions around the strait have shown the need to strengthen domestic energy production and security.
The scheme aims to raise domestic CBG production nearly ten-fold and attract private investment. The starting base is small. The GOBARdhan Unified Registration Portal gives existing and proposed CBG and Bio-CNG plants the registration number needed to access the ministry's support. As of 6 August 2026, 1,908 plants were registered on it. Of these, 217 are commissioned and produce 0.4 MMSCMD, and 339 are under construction.
The scheme has six components covering assured offtake, pricing, capital support, pipelines, credit guarantees and ecosystem development.
The government says the assured demand and fixed price give project developers predictable revenue and improve the bankability of projects, while pipeline links reduce evacuation costs and widen market reach.
The government expects the CBG industry to add more than ₹75,000 crore to India's GDP over ten years and generate over 1.5 lakh jobs. It projects a reduction of more than 40 MT of CO2 emissions through fossil fuel replacement and diversion of organic waste from landfills.
The scheme is also expected to produce around 250 MMT of organic fertiliser and expand the production and use of Fermented Organic Manure and Liquid Fermented Organic Manure. Agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal organic waste would be converted into fuel and manure, reducing unmanaged waste and landfill disposal.
The CBG ecosystem so far has rested on the SATAT initiative, the Market Development Assistance Scheme, the Biomass Aggregation Machinery Scheme, the Development of Pipeline Infrastructure Scheme and Central Financial Assistance under the National Bioenergy Programme.
Uptake of these has been uneven. The Biomass Aggregation Machinery Scheme, which helps CBG producers buy biomass-collection equipment, has an outlay of ₹564.75 crore. By 16 March 2026, 37 proposals involving nearly ₹248 crore had been approved. The pipeline scheme has ₹994.5 crore for FY 2024-25 to FY 2028-29, of which ₹56.31 crore has been sanctioned.
The Market Development Assistance Scheme pays ₹1,500 per metric tonne for Fermented Organic Manure, Liquid Fermented Organic Manure and Phosphate-Rich Organic Manure produced by GOBARdhan and CBG plants. As of 4 March 2026, 120 CBG and biogas plants were registered on the fertiliser portal and 44 MoUs had been signed.
With reference to the GOBARdhan National Circular Bioenergy Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet, consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following pairs:
Scheme/Component : Feature
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
With reference to the GOBARdhan Unified Registration Portal and the status of CBG plants as of 6 August 2026, consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The portal gives existing and proposed CBG and Bio-CNG plants the registration number needed to access the support of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Statement-II: Of the 1,908 plants registered on the portal, 217 are commissioned and 339 are under construction.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
