Villages of Chhattisgarh willl become self-sufficient in electricity supply, by producing electricity from cow-dung: CM Bhupesh Baghel
Raipur: “Villages in Chhattisgarh are now becoming self-sufficient, realizing the vision of Mahatma Gandhi’s vision. Soon, with the production of electricity from cow dung in gauthans, the villages will soon become self-dependent in terms of electricity supply”, said Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
He added that the production of electricity from cow dung has been started from three Gauthans in Raipur, Bemetara and Durg districts. An action plan is being prepared to expand this project to all the Gauthans.0Baghel said that Godhan Nyay Yojana will now be operated across the state on mission mode.
Chief Minister was addressing the program after transferring an amount of Rs 7. 36 crore online to the bank accounts of cattle owners, cow dung collectors, women self-help groups and Gothan committees, at his residence office on Monday .
In lieu of the cow dung procured from September 16 to September 30, Chief Minister deposited Rs 1 crore 87 lakh in the account of cattle owners and dung collectors. He then transferred Rs 2 crore 14 lakh to the bank accounts of women self-help groups and Rs3 crore 35 lakh to Gauthan committees as dividends. Ever since Godhan Nyay Yojana was launched, a total amount of Rs 104 crore 41 lakh has been paid against the procurement of cow dung, dividends worth Rs 25 crore 2 lakh has been paid to women self-help groups and that of Rs 37 crore 90 lakh has been paid to Gauthan committees. As many as 84 thousand 469 landless people of the state are also being benefited from Godhan Nyay Yojana.
On this occasion, Chief Minister said that women self-help groups in Gauthans would no longer be limited to making vermi compost. Various employment oriented activities will be started in Gauthans with the help of state and central government schemes. Paddy crushing, oil crushing machines will be installed in Gauthans and enterprises of blacksmithing and shoe manufacturing will also be started. He said that 9, 211 self-help groups are engaged in making organic manure, production of vegetables, mushrooms from community gardens, fish farming, goat rearing, poultry, animal husbandry, dung lamps, pots, incense sticks manufacturing and other activities conducted in Gauthans. More than 67, 000 members are earning good income from these activities. The members of Self Help Groups have so far earned an income of Rs 43 crore 72 lakh from these activities. Besides the production of organic manure from cow dung, self-help groups will now be able to earn additional profits from production of electricity from cow dung. The electricity to be produced in the Gauthans will be purchased by the government. He said that Godhan Nyay Mission has been constituted to implement the scheme on a mission mode. Under this mission, infrastructure required in the Gauthans will be developed expeditiously. Measures will be taken to increase the income of farmers, livestock farmers, self-help groups and Gauthan committees.
Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey said that Godhan Nyay Yojana will now be implemented on a mission mode as per the instructions of Chief Minister. Women self-help groups will no longer be limited to the production of vermi compost. Under the Rural Industrial Park scheme, various income-oriented activities will be identified and commenced in Gauthans. He added that Godhan Nyay Yojana is being appreciated at national-level. Payment against dung procurement is done every 15 days. Agriculture Department has been made the nodal department for the operation of this scheme. To give more impetus to this scheme, Chief Executive Officers of Jila Panchayat will also be linked.
Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr Kamalpreet Singh said in his address to the program that under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, custom processing centers would be started in 250 Gauthans, for which an amount of Rs 8 lakh will be sanctioned to each gauthan. These funds would be utilized for establishing oil, puffed rice, spice, and pungent processing units in gauthans. He said that an amount of Rs 50 lakh has been allocated for green fodder development. Satellite hatcheries will be developed in selected tribal-dominated development blocks with an amount of Rs.3 crore each.
