‘Govt plans loans above Tk 10 lakh for biogas plants’

BARISHAL, Oct 28: The government plans to offer loans of more than Tk 10 lakh to encourage the installation of biogas plants and expand access to the alternative energy source at the household level to help address the energy crisis.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque announced the plan on Tuesday afternoon at the inauguration of a biogas plant in the Harinafulia area of Barishal city.

He said the government plans to install 15,000 biogas connections, of which 12,000 have already been installed.

The president is scheduled to inaugurate the connections on National Youth Day, he added.

The government also plans to use biogas to generate electricity and meet household cooking and other daily needs. A guideline detailing its uses is being prepared, he said.

Eighty-one biogas plants have been installed in the Barishal region, with some owners financing the facilities themselves and others taking loans, Aminul said.

Biogas can be produced from the waste of three cows, while poultry droppings can generate even more gas, he said.

Plant owners can also earn income by supplying gas to households, with monthly connection fees ranging from Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500 in some areas. The plants also produce organic fertiliser that can be used on farmland or sold.

The government is prepared to provide loans exceeding Tk 10 lakh rather than limiting financing to Tk 1 lakh or Tk 5 lakh, Aminul said. Borrowers with good repayment and transaction records could qualify for larger loans.

The Department of Youth Development organised the event, where the state minister also distributed loan cheques to young people.