Which of the following best describes the composition and production process of Compressed Biogas (CBG)?

A mixture of methane and CO2 produced by anaerobic digestion of organic matter.

A gaseous fuel produced by the gasification of wood at high temperatures.

A liquid biofuel produced by the transesterification of vegetable oils.

A synthetic fuel produced by the catalytic hydrogenation of coal.

The GOBARdhan scheme is primarily aimed at:

Increasing Compressed Biogas (CBG) production through a 'waste to wealth' approach.

Providing direct cash transfers to farmers for crop insurance.

Developing large-scale solar power grids in agricultural districts.

Promoting the use of chemical fertilizers in rural areas.

Daily

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14 July 2026

U.S.-Iran tensions and Strait of Hormuz blockade

The topic covers critical energy security risks for India via the Strait of Hormuz and specific government initiatives like SATAT and GOBARdhan, which are directly relevant to GS3 energy and agricultural policy questions.

Notes

Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime chokepoint, handling 20 million barrels of oil/day, 112 billion cubic metres of LNG, and 30% of global fertilizer trade (urea, ammonia, sulphur).
India imports ~85% of its crude oil; ~90% of its LPG imports transit through the Strait of Hormuz, posing a significant energy security risk.
Compressed Biogas (CBG) is produced via anaerobic digestion of organic matter; it is chemically identical to CNG and is renewable/carbon-neutral.
Government initiatives for biogas include the SATAT initiative (target: 5,000 plants by 2023, 132 completed by June 2026) and the GOBARdhan scheme.
Challenges to biogas adoption: lack of infrastructure, high upfront technology costs, poor private investment, and difficulties in accessing formal credit.
Maize cultivation in India has increased significantly (yield rose from 2.56 tonnes/hectare in FY16 to 3.78 tonnes/hectare in FY25), partly incentivized by higher administered prices for maize-based ethanol.
Concerns exist that prioritizing maize for energy feedstock may negatively impact crop diversity, food security, and production of pulses/oilseeds.
India has set a mandatory blending obligation for CBG into gas supply, starting at 1% in FY26 and rising to 5% by FY29.

Questions

Analyze the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz for global energy security and the implications of maritime instability for India's energy import dependency. 150 words

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Discuss the potential of Compressed Biogas (CBG) in enhancing India's energy security. Critically examine the challenges in scaling up production and the potential impact of feedstock-based energy policies on agricultural crop diversity and food security. 250 words

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Prelims

Which of the following best describes the composition and production process of Compressed Biogas (CBG)?

The GOBARdhan scheme is primarily aimed at:

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-14/u-s-iran-tensions-and-strait-of-hormuz-blockade