SUBSIDY FOR BIOGAS PLANTS

                                     
                     SUBSIDY FOR BIOGAS PLANTS


 The State government seeking higher subsidy for setting up biogas plants generating energy through waste treatment. The union government  is seriously considering the possibility of restricting subsidy for cooking gas, aims at drawing attention to bio-gas plants as an attractive mode of generating alternative energy, which addressing the issue of waste treatment.
  As of now,local bodies are permitted by the state government of grant a subsidy of up to Rs. 3,000 for bio gas plants. This was inadequate. We want the government to grant at least half the cost of setting up the plants as subsidy, A Sajidas, director of Biotech, told. The state government restricts many local bodies, which may other wise be willing to give more assistance for the plants, Mr Sajidas said that the ideal situation would be to permit local bodies to grant higher subsidy, as they deemed fit, taking in to consideration the garbage issue in their limits.
  As of now the central government grants subsidy of Rs. 4,000 and Biotech offers an additional Rs. 4,000 as carbon credit for setting up bio gas plants.
 Biotech is planning widespread demonstrations across the state to drive home the advantages of adopting bio gas plants in the prevailing uncertainty over the continuance of subsidy for cooking gas. Special focus will also be given to holding demonstrations and awareness class in schools, as it is the best way to get the message to individual households. Experts from Bio tech will visit the place and hold demonstrations. Besides ,training will also be imparted to interested parties in setting up and operating bio gas plants, as faulty methods could result in a negative fallout. Mr Sajidas, who has doctorate in solid waste treatment ,said
Protection of vital sources of water from pollution through the operation of centralised waste treatment plants is another advantage of adopting bio gas plants. The pollution of Kadamprayar near the solid waste treatment plant at waste treatment  plant at t Brahmapuram in Ernakulam is a case in point.
 Out of the total cost of Rs. 21,000, the beneficiary would have to raise Rs. 13,000 after the Rs..8,000 offered as subsidy by the union government and Biotech.

                                                                         Prof. John Kurakar