Patna: Bihar is set to turn household waste into electricity, following cabinet approval of a Rs 515 crore plan to establish a large-scale disposal plant in Patna.
The decision, taken at a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday, will see integrated solid waste management introduced in the Patna cluster under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Waste from 13 municipal bodies, including Patna, Danapur, Bihta and Punpun, will be collected and processed to generate renewable energy.
The plant, to be developed in Ramchak Bairia within the Patna Municipal Corporation area, will process 1,600 tonnes of waste daily. A 15 MW power plant will convert solid waste into electricity, while a bio-methanation facility with a capacity of 100 tonnes per day will produce biogas. Additional infrastructure will include a compost plant (700 tonnes per day), a sanitary landfill (325 tonnes per day), and material recovery and refuse-derived fuel plants.
Officials say the project will not only produce renewable energy but also make cities cleaner, improve environmental quality, reduce air pollution and enhance Bihar’s standing in the national Swachh Survekshan rankings. Waste will be scientifically processed to ensure maximum resource recovery, with biogas used as a clean energy source alongside electricity generation.
The 13 participating municipal bodies are Patna, Danapur, Fatuha, Khagaul, Phulwarisharif, Sampatchak, Maner, Masaurhi, Bihta, Bakhtiyarpur, Naubatpur, Punpun and Khusrupur.
