According to reports, Reliance Industries kicked off work on the first of its planned Rs 65,000 crore investment in compressed bio-gas (CBG) hubs in Andhra Pradesh by laying the foundation stone for an integrated CBG plant by Reliance New Energy near Divakarapalli village in Kanigiri. Spanning 475 acres, this state-of-the-art CBG plant is being established with an investment of Rs 139 crore and a production capacity of 100 tonnes. This project is the first of Reliance’s 500 CBG plants across the state, with a total investment of Rs 65,000 crore.

 Minister Nara Lokesh performed the foundation stone-laying ceremony for this pioneering facility. The company is targeting the creation of around 250,000 jobs through its total investment plans.

The plant will be developed with innovative technology and will utilize Napier grass, to be cultivated on barren and waste lands, to produce bio-gas. The project will result in significant livelihood support to the rural economy through payment of lease revenues to farmers, and additionally, a fixed price for the grass grown by farmers. Reliance has embarked on a bold journey to establish integrated CBG hubs across Andhra Pradesh.

Around 500,000 acres of barren and waste lands in Prakasam, Anantapur, Chittoor and Kadapa will be utilised for this purpose. Once all the plants are fully operational, they will produce 4 million tonnes of green, clean CBG and 1.1 million metric tonnes of organic fertiliser annually. This initiative is expected to create 250,000 jobs for rural youth.

Reliance executive director P M S Prasad says, “We see this project as more than energy production. It will uplift communities and boost local economies. And it will drive Andhra Pradesh’s clean energy ambitions forward. Our initiative will equip our ANNA DAATAS with the tools and technology they need to become URJA DAATAS. Additionally, the by-product from these plants will yield one crore tonnes of fermented organic manure to support farmers with a reduction in chemical fertiliser consumption. This will transform 15 lakh acres of barren land into fertile farmland, boosting farmer incomes.

“We (the state government and Reliance) share a united vision, a vision where Andhra Pradesh shines as a leading state of India. This bioenergy project is a major step in that direction, and we are committed to making it a reality. Together, we will turn waste into green wealth, energy into empowerment, and land into livelihood,” adds P M S Prasad.

 

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Nara Lokesh says, “I am delighted that we have been able to provide requisite support in record time and enable Reliance to break ground on this transformational CBG project in Prakasam district. This is the first of many, and we aim for Reliance to develop 500 such projects across Andhra Pradesh with a total investment of Rs 65,000 crore. Reliance Industries has been one of AP’s largest and most trusted investors over the past few decades, and we are excited to extend this partnership into the CBG space.”