GOBARdhan Scheme 2026: ₹23,731 Crore CBG Scheme Launched on 1 October, Benefits and Official Portal

1. What Is the GOBARdhan Scheme?

GOBARdhan stands for Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan. It promotes the productive use of organic waste, cattle dung, agricultural residue and other biodegradable materials to produce biogas, Compressed Biogas (CBG) and organic manure.

The original GOBARdhan initiative was introduced in 2018 under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) to improve rural sanitation and organic waste management.

In 2026, the Union Cabinet approved a new integrated national framework called the National Circular Bioenergy Scheme, with GOBARdhan as its central focus. The integrated Central Sector Scheme was launched on 1 October 2026 under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

The new framework brings different forms of support for the CBG value chain together, including assured demand, stable pricing, capital assistance, pipeline infrastructure, credit support and ecosystem development.

2. GOBARdhan Scheme Launch and Important Dates

The distinction between approval, effective date and formal launch is important. The scheme was approved in August, came into effect from 1 September and was formally launched on 1 October 2026.

3. Objectives of the GOBARdhan Scheme

• Increase domestic Compressed Biogas production nearly ten-fold.
• Develop a stronger national CBG production and distribution ecosystem.
• Encourage private investment in bioenergy infrastructure.
• Improve the use of cattle dung, agricultural residue and organic municipal waste.
• Create additional income opportunities for farmers and rural entrepreneurs.
• Support the production and use of organic manure.
• Reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.
• Promote waste management and a circular rural economy.

4. Six Major Components of the GOBARdhan Scheme

5. Who Can Benefit from the GOBARdhan Scheme?

The scheme is designed to support different participants across the CBG value chain. Its benefits are not limited to individual farmers or household beneficiaries.

• Farmers: Potential additional income through the supply of cattle dung and agricultural residue to CBG projects.
• Rural Entrepreneurs: Opportunities to participate in bioenergy projects, feedstock aggregation and related services.
• MSMEs: Access to eligible project support and credit guarantee mechanisms.
• Cooperative Societies: Opportunities to participate in feedstock collection, processing and rural bioenergy value chains.
• Private CBG Developers: Support through capital assistance, market linkages and infrastructure development.
• Women Entrepreneurs: Potential participation through eligible CBG projects and related enterprises.
• City Gas Distribution Entities: Better coordination for CBG procurement and network integration.

Actual benefits depend on the applicants role, project eligibility, applicable guidelines and approval by the competent authority.

6. Which Waste Materials Can Be Used to Produce CBG?

Compressed Biogas can be produced from biodegradable organic materials through anaerobic digestion, followed by purification and compression.

• Cattle dung and animal waste.
• Agricultural residue, including paddy straw.
• Press mud from sugar industries.
• Municipal organic waste.
• Food and kitchen waste.
• Other suitable biodegradable biomass.

The process can also produce organic manure, including Fermented Organic Manure (FOM) and Liquid Fermented Organic Manure (LFOM), which can contribute to agricultural nutrient management.

7. Financial Assistance for CBG Plant Projects

One of the important features of the scheme is capital assistance for eligible CBG projects.

In addition to capital assistance, the framework includes pipeline infrastructure support and credit guarantee support for eligible projects. The scheme is intended to improve the commercial viability of CBG projects and encourage investment.

Applicants should not assume that the maximum assistance will automatically be approved. Project-specific conditions and application procedures must be checked in the official guidelines.

8. How to Register or Explore GOBARdhan Opportunities?

The government operates dedicated digital portals for GOBARdhan registration and CBG scheme-related workflows. The Unified GOBARdhan Portal was launched as part of the 1 October 2026 launch programme.

1. Visit the official GOBARdhan portal.
2. Identify the appropriate section for your role in the CBG ecosystem.
3. Review the available registration, eligibility and scheme information.
4. Check the relevant capital assistance, commercial workflow or infrastructure support requirements.
5. Prepare the project and entity information required by the applicable guidelines.
6. Follow the instructions on the official portal for submission and tracking.

The portal provides separate workflows for CBG entities and City Gas Distribution entities. Registration on a portal should not be confused with automatic approval or receipt of financial assistance.

9. GOBARdhan Scheme Official Links

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)