NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to set up Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants for scientific processing of cow dung, in a move aimed at reducing pollution in the Yamuna, improving urban sanitation and boosting farmers’ incomes.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who described the initiative as a model for clean and sustainable urban waste management that could be replicated across major cities in the country.
The MoU seeks to establish an integrated system for collecting and processing cow dung generated by nearly 1.25 lakh cattle in Delhi. The processed waste will be converted into compressed biogas and organic manure, while livestock owners will receive `1 per kilogram of cow dung supplied under the scheme, according to an official government statement.
Shah said the initiative would simultaneously address multiple challenges by improving cleanliness, generating clean energy, promoting organic farming and creating an additional source of income for livestock farmers.
Shah said the agreement represents an important step towards achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of cleaning the Yamuna River.
Emphasising that the river cannot be rejuvenated unless the discharge of sewage and waste is stopped, the Home Minister said the government has already begun work on around 80 treatment plants in Delhi for treating sewage and industrial effluents. He added that arrangements are now being put in place to ensure that cow dung does not enter the Yamuna, saying effective management of cattle waste is essential to the river’s restoration.
The Home Minister said the government is working to ensure that no untreated wastewater flows into the Yamuna by December 2028. He noted that the new cow dung processing facilities would complement ongoing efforts to improve the capital’s waste management infrastructure.
According to Shah, the cow dung collected under the project will be processed at the Nangli, Ghoga-Goyla and Ghazipur waste management facilities. He said the initiative has the potential to become a national template for urban local bodies by demonstrating how waste can be converted into a valuable resource while supporting environmental conservation and rural livelihoods.
Union Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Union Home Secretary, the Cooperation Secretary and senior officials from the Centre and the Delhi government were present at the signing ceremony.