Climate change is real and it is high time that we take steps towards the only planet we know so far that seems to support life. One planet, one shot. There are no do-overs here. Bearing in mind the necessity of ecological conservation, the central government of India has launched a new programme – the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana.
About the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana
The Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan-Vatavaran Anukool Fasal Awashesh Nivaran) Yojana aims to provide financial assistance to essentially support Integrated Bioethanol projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock. The implementational unit for this scheme will be the Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical body under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG).
Objectives of the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana
The scheme aims to set up 12 commercial-scale Second generation (2G) Bioethanol projects and 10 demonstration-scale 2G Bioethanol projects based on non-food biomass feedstocks and other renewable feedstocks.
The objectives of the scheme are mentioned herewith:
- Establish commercially viable projects for 2g ethanol production.
- Provide remunerative income to farmers for what would be otherwise considered agricultural residues.
- Address concerns of environmental pollution caused by the burning of biomass/agriculture residues.
- Help in meeting the targets envisaged in the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme promoted by the Government of India and the government’s vision of 10% reduction in import dependence by the way of reducing the use of fossil fuels.
- To create rural and urban employment opportunities.
- To contribute to the pre-existing vision of the government of India – Swachh Bharat Mission by supporting the aggregation of non-food biofuel feedstocks such as waste biomass and urban waste.
- Indigenisation of second-generation biomass to ethanol technologies.
Benefits of the implementation of the scheme
The ethanol which will be produced by the scheme beneficiaries will be mandatorily supplied to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to further enhance the blending percentage under the EBP programme.
Apart from supplementing the targets envisaged by the government of India under the EBP programme, the scheme will also offer the following benefits:
- Meeting government of India’s vision of reducing import dependence by way of substituting fossil fuels with Biofuels.
- Achieving the GHG emissions reduction targets through progressive blending/substitution of fossil fuels.
- Addressing the environmental concerns caused due to burning of biomass / crop residues and improve health of citizens.
- Creating rural and urban employment opportunities in 2G ethanol projects and Biomass Supply chain.
- Contributing to Swachh Bharat Mission by supporting the Aggregation of nonfood biofuel feedstocks such as waste biomass and urban wastes.
- Indigenizing of Second Generation Biomass to Ethanol technologies.
Summing it up
With this scheme in place, the government of India ensures that it works towards reducing our carbon footprint on the planet. With more renewable sources entering the equation the overall impact we have on the environment will be manifold, and we will largely contribute to the recuperation of the planet earth.
This floating blue ball of a planet is the only one we bequeathed and should remain to be a legacy for generations ahead.
