New Delhi [India], August 12 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh's Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) sector has attracted around Rs 3,500 crore in investment and generated employment for around 25,000 people, with around 20 plants currently operational and another 70-80 expected to be built, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said on Wednesday.

'Around 20 plants are working and 70-80 more are going to be built. Up to Rs 3,500 crores of investment has been made and 25,000 people have got employment through that,' Shahi told ANI on the sidelines of the second day of India Bioenergy and Tech Expo and 3rd International Conference and Exhibition on Bioenergy and Technologies.

Shahi said Uttar Pradesh has made significant progress in green energy in recent years.

'In recent years, more than 5,000 MW of electricity has been generated through solar energy and other sources. Along with that, Uttar Pradesh is the state that produces the most ethanol. Along with that, Uttar Pradesh produces the most CBG as well,' he said.

The minister said the development of bioenergy is also important for increasing farmers' incomes.

'And the most important thing in this is that in order to increase the income of the farmers, this is a very important step,' Shahi said.

He added that bio-fertilisers produced through such projects could help improve soil health and agricultural land.

'Along with that, in order to improve the soil health, the bio-fertiliser that will be prepared in that will also be very effective and the land of the farmers will be able to be cultivated,' he said.

'There is still a lot of work to be done,' Shahi said, while highlighting the scope for further development of the sector.

On concerns raised by the CBG industry over the availability of feedstock, the minister said a system for collecting it needs to be developed.

'For that, we will have to develop a system to collect it. The government has tried in Uttar Pradesh. But the industry will also have to try a little with the farmers,' Shahi said.

He added that in some places, the industry would also have to pay appropriate prices to farmers for the feedstock.

Shahi also said several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the event, involving around Rs 5,000 crore in investment.

'Today, many MoUs have been signed and many literatures have been published. I would like to congratulate all of them. And today, around Rs 5,000 crores of investment has been made in MoUs,' he said.

The minister said the development of bioenergy is important for Uttar Pradesh, particularly for its agriculture and energy sectors.

Uttar Pradesh has received around 20 per cent less rainfall than normal so far this monsoon, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said, adding that while there has been no major crop loss so far, the situation could create difficulties in some areas.

'Monsoon is weak. Uttar Pradesh has received around 20 per cent less rainfall. There has been no loss so far, but in the future, the situation of monsoon will be such that some difficulties may arise in some places.' (ANI)