The Vidarbha region is one of the most backward regions of the state of Maharashtra. The livelihoods of the people here are mainly dependent on agriculture and forests. In our villages of interventions, we have been mainly working with rural and tribal people, who are facing a lot of issues in relation to agriculture such as increased expenses of Agri inputs due to widespread chemical farming, decreased production, degradation of soil quality, lack of nutritious food, etc. 

The villages in our blocks of intervention largely depend on sources such as fuelwood, farm waste, dried cow dung, kerosene, etc. for their cooking and lighting purposes. The World Bank has classified indoor air pollution in developing countries among the four most crucial global environmental problems. Moreover, most of the rural households do not have chimneys to let smoke outside their houses. We will have to collect base line data relating to the exact number of households using the source of cooking such as firewood, crop residue, cow dung cake, coal/ charcoal, kerosene, LPG, and biogas as also the exact number of livestock they have in each of the selected villages in all blocks. It has been noted that the large percentage of LPG use is seen mainly due to its use in the urban areas of the blocks rather than the rural areas. Secondly, under the Ujwal Yojana government distributed LPG connections to BPL families but it is difficult for those households to refill the cylinder due to the poverty and as per the new policy of the Government of India only nine subsidized LPG cylinders will be available per family. So they turned back to their earlier source like firewood or crop residue etc. The use of biogas is almost negligible in all the blocks selected. Therefore, there is a need to intervene in the mentioned blocks to raise awareness regarding the benefits of biogas plants, benefits from CDM projects, benefits of reducing carbon emissions, and to develop partnerships by bringing in experts in the area of CDM to assist these villagers. Through the CDM project, YRA wishes to install biogas plants to address the following issues:

• To provide a source of organic manure to be used as agricultural input for the farming families
• To provide a clean source of fuel for cooking and lighting and thus reduce the load on forests and farm wastes
• To promote a technology that would make a positive impact on the health of women and children by reducing exposure to smoke and harmful particles while cooking
• To provide a clean and economically beneficial method of disposal of cow dung, farm and kitchen wastes, etc.
• To remove the risk of non-availability of fuel for cooking during rainy seasons, etc.

Target groups:

This project would be undertaken in around 500 villages from 4 blocks of 2 districts in the Vidarbha region. The tentative families having more than 2+ livestock have been worked out based on secondary data. Considering 20% out of them from each village as potential families we arrive at 36002 households from all 4 blocks of Nagpur and Bhandara districts. We will develop strict criteria for the final selection of households for installing 12000 units such as available livestock, place to install the unit, ready to give written commitment for long period for use and maintenance, not having an LPG connection, having agricultural land to use the slurry as fertilizer and become a part of the process through user group member, etc. 

The focus will be given to the schedule caste, schedule tribe, and Below Poverty line families. Women are mainly involved in the kitchen and using cooking energy hence the end users of the project will be the women of the selected families. SHGs, Youth Groups, Gram Panchayat, Farmer’s Groups, etc will be the stakeholders in the project.

The activities planned to achieve the objectives are as given below:

• Preparation of CDM Project PDD: YRA has prepared PDD under the CDM project in 2013-14. Based on this YRA is approaching Infosys for partnership in the implementation of the project through both technical and financial support. In the preparatory phase finalization of the project plan, responsibilities, deadlines, technical and financial support, selection of villages and families, baseline data collection, confirming the activities planned, preparing micro plans of each block, etc will be done
• Orientation to the Staff and Community Members: On principle acceptance/ agreement of partnership YRA will organize an orientation for all staff under this project in which the technical aspects will be covered by Infosys since we will be using their solution for monitoring till the end of the project period. This orientation would be for 3-4 days residential on the project and technicalities of the project. One-day orientation of the stakeholders such as village level functionaries of government like teachers, gramsevak, pre-school teachers, sarpanch, community leaders, etc will be arranged attached to this 4 days staff orientation
• Baseline survey: A survey format will be designed together with Infosys technical team and a one-day orientation with a field sample survey will be planned. The feedback on the sample survey would be given by YRA senior staff and the technical team of Infosys, which will be understood thoroughly by the project team. Then the feedback will be incorporated into the actual surveys that will be undertaken by YRA
• Data collection and analysis: Infosys has assured for technology support for data collection and analysis software which will be useful in generating baseline data for future project monitoring and evaluation. YRA will have to purchase seven computers for the installation of the above software in each of the seven blocks of intervention. The Infosys technical team will help in installing the software on those systems and give orientation regarding the software and its use to the YRA team. After this actual primary data collection and data entry will be initiated by YRA
• Setting up Block level infrastructure and systems: A block level unit with proper office place, computer system, connectivity, installation of the solution, the team of staff and volunteers (Urja Sevaks) will have to be set up as soon as the project is signed. For technical set up guidance of the Infosys team will be important
• Training of surveyors and survey of 12000 households: YRA will identify and select surveyors (approximately 40 for the project) for surveying the areas of intervention. These surveyors will be given detailed training on the CDM project objectives, the survey questionnaire format, and data entry in the software
• Developing IEC material and conducting awareness, education & orientation programs: Along with the survey, community awareness, education and orientation of potential households will be conducted. IEC material on knowledge regarding CDM projects, global climate change issues, and positive impacts of biogas plants on the environment as also economic benefits, etc. will be developed and sessions conducted, especially amongst women who are the key stakeholders of this project. Five such programmes will be held in each of the selected villages in seven blocks of intervention.The socio-economic and demographic survey of 12000 rural households will be undertaken to establish the baseline for the project and to demonstrate the technology need. The survey will be continuously monitored and the data will be broadly analyzed by the block coordinators of YRA and the overall progress will be monitored by the project coordinator assigned for the project
• Choice of technology: Infosys has already decided on the technology for installation which will be a bladder-type readymade unit with the capacity of 2 m3 per day. Based on the socio-economic analysis and the technical feasibility installation of those units will be undertaken in campaign mode. CDM validation process will be taken up by Infosys and YRA will provide all support required
• The Biogas Monitoring Solutions: The Biogas monitoring solution is assured by Infosys to help in the data collection, analysis, monitoring, and evaluation of the entire project. Infosys can provide that solution to YRA with an orientation about its use
• Regular monitoring, Handholding, and Technical services: After the installation of units technical support, maintenance support, monitoring, and supplying data to the central team regularly will be done by the YRA project team for the entire project period. Monthly review meetings at the project team level, quarterly meetings at the YRA level, and Six monthly review meetings at Infosys and YRA team will be conducted
• Installation of Units: Based on final beneficiary selection including place and all other criteria readymade units will be installed through the technically trained person. Installation of stove and pipelines and inputs for the first time is included in this. All such installed units will be under observation of the trained staff regularly. The data and reporting formats will be used for this monitoring
• Adoption of the Monitoring and Verification Protocol: The Infosys Tech Team will develop the Monitoring and Verification protocol as per CDM and/or Gold Standard requirements. Accordingly, YRA can make changes as required for the implementation of this protocol in an effective legal manner. The End Users, who will be responsible for the management of this project, will be actively involved in the process. This monitoring, verification, and reports will be continued till the project end.