Gandhinagar: Students and staff at the Shrimati Manekba Vinay Vihar Educational Complex near Adalaj in Gandhinagar have become self-reliant in cooking gas, preparing over 500 meals daily using biogas produced on-site.
The institution, managed by the Vasumati Charitable Trust, operates two biogas plants with a combined capacity of 90 cubic metres per day.
The plants utilise cow dung from the trust’s cowshed, which houses 222 cows, along with organic waste from the kitchen and surrounding fields.
Rahul Patel, the institution’s manager, said, “Our institution has benefited from the Gujarat government’s ‘Institutional Biogas Plant Scheme’. We have become self-reliant in cooking gas. The cows provide abundant dung, and the slurry produced after gas generation is used as organic fertiliser in the institution’s fields, enabling fully organic farming.”
He added, “If the biogas plant were not operational, we would require around 30 LPG cylinders each month, but currently, none are needed. Additionally, the slurry eliminates the need for chemical fertilisers.”
The hostel accommodates approximately 250 students, with meals prepared twice daily for them, in addition to catering to around 15 staff families living on campus.
Under the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) scheme, institutions receive subsidies to install biogas plants with capacities ranging from 25 to 85 cubic metres per day.
Non-profit institutions can receive up to 75 per cent of the cost, while profit-making institutions receive up to 50 per cent.
Over the past five years, 193 institutional biogas plants have been established across Gujarat, with a combined capacity of 13,955 cubic metres per day.
For the financial year 2026–27, around 60 more plants are planned under the scheme, with a total provision of Rs 12 crore.
Biogas is produced through the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste, providing an inexpensive and environmentally friendly cooking fuel.
The resulting slurry is rich in nitrogen and serves as an effective organic fertiliser, supporting sustainable agriculture.
GEDA officials highlighted that the scheme encourages energy self-reliance, reduces environmental pollution, and promotes the scientific utilisation of biological waste generated in gaushalas, animal shelters, educational institutions, and charitable trusts across Gujarat.
The initiative reflects Gujarat’s focus on alternative energy under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, demonstrating the state’s commitment to sustainable development and clean energy solutions.
(IANS)
