Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Q. Can compressed biogas aid India’s energy security? Discuss the opportunities and challenges in scaling up the biogas sector in India.
- Q. Farm mechanization can improve agricultural productivity, but access to modern machinery remains unequal for small and marginal farmers. Discuss the role of the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization in addressing this gap.
Q. Can compressed biogas aid India’s energy security? Discuss the opportunities and challenges in scaling up the biogas sector in India.
(GS Paper III – Energy Security / Renewable Energy / Agriculture)
Introduction:
India imports nearly 85% of its crude oil needs, and around 90% of its LPG imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. In the context of West Asian instability and global energy shocks, Compressed Biogas can become an important domestic alternative fuel for improving India’s energy security.
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How CBG Can Aid Energy Security
- Import substitution: CBG is chemically similar to CNG and can be used in transport, cooking, heating and electricity generation, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
- Domestic renewable fuel: It is produced through anaerobic digestion of organic matter such as cattle dung, agricultural waste, municipal solid waste and food waste.
- Waste-to-wealth model: CBG converts waste into energy and supports the goals of GOBARdhan and circular economy.
- Rural income support: Farmers can earn additional income by supplying biomass, dung and crop residues to CBG plants.
- Climate benefits: It reduces methane emissions from unmanaged organic waste and supports India’s clean energy transition.
Government Initiatives
- The SATAT initiative, launched in 2018, targeted 5,000 CBG plants by 2023, but only 132 plants were completed by June 2026.
- Under GOBARdhan, grants of up to ₹50 lakh per district were offered for community biogas plants.
- The government allocated ₹564 crore for biomass collection machinery and ₹994 crore for pipelines connecting biogas plants to the gas grid.
- From FY26, gas distributors must blend CBG into supply, starting at 1% and rising to 5% by FY29.
Challenges
- High upfront technology cost makes projects less viable.
- Poor biomass collection and storage infrastructure limits feedstock availability.
- Private investment remains weak due to uncertain returns.
- Access to formal credit is difficult for smaller project developers.
- Pipeline and gas-grid connectivity remain inadequate.
- Excessive use of food crops such as maize as feedstock may affect crop diversity and food security, as seen in Germany.
Way Forward
- Promote feedstock from livestock manure, agricultural residues and municipal organic waste, similar to Denmark’s model.
- Provide fiscal incentives such as tax holidays, accelerated depreciation and viability gap funding.
- Ensure assured offtake and stable pricing for CBG producers.
- Strengthen biomass aggregation, cold storage, transport and pipeline infrastructure.
- Link CBG policy with waste management, rural employment, climate goals and farmer income.
Conclusion:
- CBG can aid India’s energy security by reducing import dependence, managing organic waste and supporting rural livelihoods. However, India must avoid crop-diversion risks and build a waste-based, financially viable and infrastructure-supported CBG ecosystem. If implemented well, it can become a strong pillar of India’s clean energy transition and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Q. Farm mechanization can improve agricultural productivity, but access to modern machinery remains unequal for small and marginal farmers. Discuss the role of the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization in addressing this gap.
(GS Paper III – Agriculture )
Introduction:
Farm mechanization refers to the use of machines, equipment and modern technologies in agricultural operations such as land preparation, sowing, irrigation, plant protection, harvesting and post-harvest management. In India, where small and marginal farmers dominate agriculture, mechanization is essential for improving productivity, reducing labour drudgery and ensuring timely farm operations.
The Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization, launched in 2014–15 under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, aims to “reach the unreached” by improving access to farm machinery for small farmers, women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Farmer-Producer Organizations, Self-Help Groups and rural entrepreneurs.
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Role of SMAM in Farm Mechanization
- Affordable access to machinery: SMAM promotes Custom Hiring Centres and Farm Machinery Banks, enabling small farmers to rent machines instead of purchasing costly equipment.
- Financial support: The scheme provides subsidy support through Direct Benefit Transfer, covering 40% of machinery cost for general beneficiaries and 50% for small and marginal farmers, SC/ST farmers and beneficiaries in North-Eastern States.
- Support to institutions: It provides assistance to SHGs, FPOs and local institutions for setting up Farm Machinery Banks, strengthening collective access to machines.
- Focus on underserved regions: Special support is given to the North-Eastern Region, including up to 100% subsidy for small machinery and 95% support for Farm Machinery Banks.
- Promotion of advanced technology: SMAM supports Hi-Tech Hubs, post-harvest mechanization and drone-based precision agriculture.
- Drone adoption: With ₹52.50 crore support, ICAR, KVKs and State Agricultural Universities conducted 40,928 Kisan Drone demonstrations across 40,918 hectares.
- Women empowerment: The scheme earmarks 30% of funds for women farmers, improving their participation in mechanized farming.
Achievements
- ₹9,404.47 crore central assistance released since inception.
- 21.61 lakh agricultural machines distributed.
- 27,554 Custom Hiring Centres, 646 Hi-Tech Hubs and 25,608 Farm Machinery Banks established.
Challenges
- Small and fragmented landholdings reduce machine viability.
- High cost of advanced machines remains a barrier.
- Lack of trained operators and repair services affects adoption.
- Awareness about subsidies and rental services remains limited.
- Drone-based agriculture needs skill development and regulatory clarity.
Way Forward
- Promote small, affordable and crop-specific machinery.
- Strengthen FPO-based Custom Hiring Centres.
- Train rural youth as machine operators, drone pilots and repair technicians.
- Improve awareness through demonstrations and IEC campaigns.
- Link mechanization with post-harvest management, climate-smart agriculture and crop-residue management.
Conclusion:
SMAM is an important intervention for making farm mechanization inclusive, affordable and productivity-enhancing. By combining subsidies, rental services, institutional support and emerging technologies like drones, it can help small and marginal farmers overcome structural constraints and move Indian agriculture towards efficiency, sustainability and higher incomes.
