The Uttar Pradesh government is all set to introduce a new bio-energy policy to promote agro-based bio-energy enterprises which can provide additional income to farmers and create new employment opportunities in rural areas.
"With this policy, the burning of agricultural waste (parali) will also stop in the fields and this will check pollution," a senior government official said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the Department of Additional Source of Energy to draft the new state bio-energy policy.
"The blueprint of the policy is ready and it will be approved soon," the official said.
The beginning in this sector was made in 2018 when the government implemented the State Bio-Enterprise Promotion Programme which aimed to promote bio-energy enterprises. Under this programme, the enterprises were provided capital subsidy, 100 per cent reimbursement of the state goods and services tax (SGST) for 10 years and 100 per cent exemption in stamp duty on purchase of land for setting up these enterprises.
The government also issued approval letters to 14 big projects related to various bio-energy products and technologies.
Taking cognisance of this, the chief minister directed officials to prepare a new bio-energy policy to promote agro-waste based bio-energy enterprises.
The policy proposes additional subsidy from the state government in addition to the grant from the Central government. In this policy, the government is expected to spend about Rs 257 crore per year.
According to officials of the Department of Additional Source of Energy, the biggest beneficiary of this policy will be farmers.
"This policy will not only solve the environmental crisis arising from burning of agricultural wastes in the fields but will also solve the problem of the decrease in the productivity of the land," the official said.
Under this policy, the option of generating bio-energy from urban solid waste, agricultural produce, mandi waste, sugar mill waste and livestock will be available.
The policy includes setting up of paddy straw based power projects, strategy for production and utilisation of compressed biogas (CBG), bio coal, bio ethanol and bio diesel.
The policy proposes a number of exemptions and incentives. The state government will top-up the subsidy received from the Centre on agricultural equipment useful for biomass collection and storage.
The policy envisages setting up of 100 megawatt capacity paddy straw based power projects in the first phase. Under the policy, government and gram panchayat land can be taken on lease for establishing bio-energy enterprises and for biomass collection. The policy also gives the option of taking land on lease for up to 30 years from private owners.