A community biogas plant built at a cost of around ₹2.5 million (₹25 lakh) in Gobindpur village of Jharkhand’s Dumka district has reportedly remained non-operational for nearly two years, leaving connected households without the planned supply of biogas.
The plant was developed under Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin Phase II by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, Dumka Division-I. It was intended to provide household cooking gas to families in the village while using cattle dung as feedstock.
Despite the infrastructure being completed, local residents say the facility has yet to begin operations, raising concerns over the utilisation of the investment and the delivery of the planned rural bioenergy service.
The scheme envisaged biogas connections for 25 households in Gobindpur village.According to residents, 13 households have so far been connected to the pipeline, but gas supply has not started through these connections.
Residents also said the Gobindpur facility is the only biogas plant established under the scheme in Ranishwar block. Its continued non-operation means the intended household energy benefits have not yet materialised.
The facility includes a pit approximately 12 feet deep and wide, constructed with cement and covered with an iron drum. A separate cement tank has also been built alongside the main structure for preparing the cattle-dung slurry required for the biogas process. A hand pump and motor have been installed to provide water, with the motor designed to operate using electricity.
However, residents said the facility has not received an electricity connection, preventing the motor from being operated. Local residents said the plant has not formally been handed over to the community since its construction.
They also said that no detailed meeting or training session has been conducted to explain the plant’s operation and maintenance requirements.
For a community-scale anaerobic digestion facility, regular feedstock collection, slurry preparation, plant operation and maintenance are important for maintaining continuous gas production. Residents said timely commissioning and a clear operating arrangement could have enabled households to benefit from the facility.
Under the arrangement described by residents, households receiving biogas connections are expected to contribute cattle dung to the plant. Each connected household is reportedly required to provide one basket of cattle dung every day.
The facility was intended to provide an alternative household fuel while reducing conventional fuel consumption. The plant also carries the message “Save fuel, save life”, reflecting its intended role in improving access to alternative energy in the village.
Bioenergy Business Analysis
The Gobindpur project highlights an important challenge for decentralised rural biogas: building the infrastructure is only one part of delivering a functioning bioenergy service. Feedstock availability, electricity, community ownership, operator training, maintenance responsibilities and reliable distribution systems all need to be in place for a plant to move from construction to sustained operation.
The reported experience also illustrates the importance of commissioning and post-construction management in small-scale biogas projects. If the facility can be brought into operation and the planned household connections activated, the existing infrastructure could provide a local route for converting cattle dung into useful cooking fuel while creating a productive use for organic waste.
