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Indian Biogas Association has pitched for a scheme to provide Rs 10,000 per unit subsidy for reviving 50 lakh biogas units, which are ready with basic infrastructure, saying it can spur mass adoption of the cleaner fuel, especially in rural India.

Indian Biogas Association (IBA) Chairman Gaurav Kedia told PTI that the overall government spend on the scheme would be Rs 5,000 crore, which could be recovered in two years.

He stated that IBA has called for the government to lead a bold, forward-looking attempt to support 50 lakh biogas units across the country. Infrastructure for these units is already in place and incentives are needed to spur mass adoption in rural India :  he noted.

A focused, mission-driven approach like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan can deliver meaningful results in this direction. Most of these systems are underutilized or idle because of insufficient funding, maintenance, and long-term incentives.

It is high time we move from potential to performance and convert biogas into a real household fuel of the future. IBA calls for a policy revolution to make biogas systems not only accessible but rewarding :  he said.

As under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), where the Government of India provides a subsidy of Rs 12,000 to eligible rural households for constructing individual household toilets (IHHL), a similar model could be considered for reviving small biogas plants, assuming a revival cost of approximately Rs 10,000 per unit, he suggested.