According to reports from Business Standard, Reliance Industries announced plans to invest ₹1 trillion in Andhra Pradesh to establish compressed biogas plants. The investment will create more than 3 lakh jobs and generate nearly ₹60,000 crore in revenue for the state over the coming decades. Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Rayalaseema Horticulture Hub and Indian School of Agriculture in Madanapalle on October 2, Anant M Ambani, executive director of Reliance Industries, emphasized that the investment would support the state's transition towards cleaner energy while creating new opportunities for farmers. "That is why Reliance Industries is grateful to the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the opportunity to invest ₹1 trillion in the state to set up compressed biogas plants," Ambani stated, expressing gratitude to the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the investment opportunity. The proposed investment will make compressed biogas a major part of Reliance's planned activity in the state, with the projects expected to create more than 3 lakh jobs and bring nearly ₹60,000 crore in revenue to Andhra Pradesh over the next several decades.
As reported by Business Standard, the compressed biogas plants will produce renewable fuel by processing organic waste including agricultural residue, animal dung, food waste and other biomass into methane-rich gas. This cleaner alternative to conventional natural gas can be used in transport, industry and commercial applications while reducing waste and emissions. The initiative aims to cut dependence on imported fossil fuels, create new markets for agricultural and organic waste, generate rural jobs and income, and support a more circular economy by converting waste into energy and nutrient-rich bio-manure. "That is why Reliance Industries is grateful to the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the opportunity to invest ₹1 trillion in the state to set up compressed biogas (CBG) plants," Ambani confirmed, positioning the CBG plans as part of a broader effort to make agriculture more productive while creating new economic opportunities in rural areas. The investment could connect agriculture, which supports India's food supply, with the country's energy needs, creating a closer link between farmers and the country's energy transition.
According to Business Standard, the proposed Rayalaseema Horticulture Hub will be backed by an investment of ₹40,000 crore and promote technology-driven agriculture in the Rayalaseema region. The Indian School of Agriculture will combine artificial intelligence with farmers' traditional knowledge, covering applications from pest prediction and drone-based crop monitoring to precision irrigation, robotics and price intelligence. "Artificial Intelligence will meet the Traditional Intelligence of Bharat's hard-working Kisans," Ambani said, with Reliance's Jio collaborating to take training programmes to millions of farmers through virtual classrooms in villages, with rural youth being trained as digitally enabled extension workers. Jio Krishi, Reliance's agriculture-focused platform, will also form part of the company's work with farmers, with Ambani highlighting the potential use of artificial intelligence, drones, robotics, cloud computing and price information to improve farming decisions. The company already has a research and development centre for bio-energy in Jamnagar, which Ambani said could contribute to the proposed CBG projects.
As reported by Business Standard, the announcement comes as the government provides significant policy support for the CBG sector. Earlier this week, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had launched GOBARdhan, a central sector scheme designed to boost the CBG sector. The initiative is being hailed as a game-changer that will attract major investments through mega incentives. The Scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet last month with an outlay of ₹23,731 crore, provides a 10-year framework from 2026-27 to 2035-36 for accelerating CBG development in India. It aims to increase domestic CBG production nearly 10-fold to around 5 million standard cubic meter per day (mscmd) with a long-term framework that gives investors and lenders greater certainty. Ambani noted that "From green energy to advanced manufacturing, this momentum gives real substance to your Swarna Andhra 2047 vision, aligned with Viksit Bharat," highlighting how the investment aligns with national development goals.
As reported by Business Standard, Ambani cited state government data showing that Andhra Pradesh had approved 388 mega projects since June 2024, with investment commitments exceeding ₹14 trillion and potential employment of nearly 11 lakh people. About a third of those investments are headed to the Rayalaseema region. The executive director also announced that Reliance was investing in clean-energy projects in Rayalaseema and pursuing opportunities in advanced manufacturing, while exploring cooperation between the Indian School of Agriculture and Vantara's proposed Global University for Wildlife and Veterinary Sciences at Jamnagar. "My mission is to help make our farmers more prosperous, our energy cleaner, and our care for animals stronger," Ambani told Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, requesting to be treated as "a son of Andhra." The proposed CBG plants, alongside Reliance's planned work in agricultural technology and training, put rural development and clean energy at the centre of the company's latest expansion in Andhra Pradesh.
