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Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) on Thursday called for coordinated action among the Centre, Maharashtra government, industry and financial institutions to accelerate compressed biogas (CBG) projects in the state, with a focus on converting agricultural residues, cattle dung and municipal waste into clean energy.
The company hosted a workshop titled Waste to Wealth Scaling GOBARdhan in Mumbai in partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) and the Maharashtra government to address policy, financing, feedstock availability and infrastructure requirements for expanding the CBG ecosystem. Addressing the gathering, BPCL Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Khanna said CBG offered an opportunity to convert organic waste into renewable energy while supporting agriculture, waste management and rural livelihoods. CBG presents an integrated opportunity to convert agricultural residues, cattle dung, press mud and municipal organic waste into clean and renewable energy, while advancing scientific waste management, strengthening the circular economy, supporting sustainable agriculture and generating rural livelihoods, Khanna said. He also highlighted the role of organic manure produced by CBG plants in improving soil fertility, describing the process as a cycle linking clean energy generation with sustainable agriculture. Vikas Singh, Director (GP) at MoPNG, outlined the Centre's vision for scaling the GOBARdhan initiative and stressed the need for coordinated action among government departments, urban local bodies, farmers, industry and financial institutions. Singh urged the Maharashtra government to align its state policy with the initiative, establish a land bank and conduct a detailed assessment of feedstock availability to facilitate the development of CBG projects. Maharashtra Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal highlighted the potential of agricultural waste and municipal solid waste to support clean energy generation and scientific waste management, calling for their efficient utilisation. The workshop also discussed the GOBARdhan scheme, the Model State CBG Policy and SASCI 2026-27, alongside Maharashtra's CBG policy and implementation requirements. A dedicated session by BPCL's research and development team highlighted enriched fermented organic manure (EFOM) and its potential to support sustainable agriculture and improve soil health. The discussions focused on addressing key challenges, including assured offtake, stable pricing, streamlined approvals, financing and supporting infrastructure. BPCL reiterated its commitment to the CBG sector as a producer, offtaker and facilitator, emphasising collaboration among government agencies, farmers, cooperatives and industry to translate policy objectives into operational projects. (ANI)
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