Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) II, Formation of Technical Support Committees for GOBAR-DHAN in Tamil Nadu

What the document does

G.O. (Ms.) No. 152, issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (CGS.1) Department on 17 December 2021, establishes a State Level Technical Support Committee and District Level Technical Support Committees for GOBAR-DHAN projects. The scheme supports biodegradable waste management by converting cattle dung and agricultural waste into biogas and slurry, with the aims of village cleanliness, resource recovery and rural income generation.

The State Government accepted the proposal of the Director of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj to form these committees and directed the department and District Collectors, as chairpersons of District Rural Development Agencies, to follow the Government of India framework for project implementation, monitoring and operation.

Who is affected

G.O. (Ms.) No. 152 mainly affects District Collectors, District Rural Development Agencies, Village Panchayats and government departments involved in agriculture, animal husbandry, cooperation, energy and rural development. It also covers potential participants such as self-help groups, farmer groups, cooperatives, milk unions, Farmer Producer Organizations, community-based organisations and private entrepreneurs.

Village Panchayats must identify suitable beneficiaries and locations. A suitable location for a community project must be identified through a Gram Sabha resolution.

Key provisions

• The State Government must lead and monitor implementation, allocate funds, support capacity building and establish a grievance redressal mechanism.
• District authorities must assess local needs, prepare plans with Blocks and Village Panchayats, identify suitable sites and examine project proposals.
• Financial assistance is available up to Rs.50 lakh per district for GOBAR-DHAN projects. Overall funding under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) must not exceed Rs.50 lakh for the entire programme period up to 2024-25.
• The State Level Technical Support Committee scrutinises Detailed Project Reports, approves them or directs revisions, coordinates schemes and funds, and evaluates plant performance.
• District Level Technical Support Committees help identify sites with continuous feedstock, recommend technology and revenue models, assist with funding convergence and support project implementation.
• Village Panchayats must prepare proposals covering financial resources, construction costs and operation and maintenance costs for the first five years. They must maintain a separate account or ledger and ensure operation and maintenance of community, cluster and institutional projects.
• District authorities must record plant details through the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) mobile application and physically verify plant functionality and operation and maintenance every quarter.

Relevance to land and property readers

G.O. (Ms.) No. 152 is relevant where a Village Panchayat proposes a community or cluster GOBAR-DHAN plant. Its land-related provisions concern identification of feasible project sites, confirmation of feedstock and product use, and selection of community project locations through Gram Sabha resolutions.