### Dr. Deepak Sharma Appointed as Sector Expert

Udaipur, (Dr, Latika Vyas} The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, has appointed Dr. Deepak Sharma, a retired professor and former head of department from MPUAT Udaipur, as a sector expert on the Biogas (Small and Medium Plant) Panel/Sub-Committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Energy Advisor of NITI Aayog.

In November 2022, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy notified the National Bioenergy Programme (NBP) to be implemented in two phases with an expenditure of ₹858 crore from the fiscal year 2021-22 to 2025-26. The NBP is one of the ministry's key programmes aimed at promoting the use of bioenergy in the country and consists of three components:
1. Waste to Energy Programme
2. Biomass Programme
3. Biogas Programme

The review committee will analyze and evaluate the overall objectives, review mechanisms, and implementation progress of each sub-component of NBP Phase-I for the period 2021-22 to 2023-24. The recommendations will be included in the approval proposal for Phase-II of the NBP.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Sharma, the former Director of Student Welfare and former head of department at the university, is currently an expert member of the national committee constituted for reviewing all biogas training and development centers sponsored by the Government of India. He is also an expert member of the national committee formed by the Government of India for evaluating the design of new biogas plants.