Call for time-bound decisions to achieve Swacch Bharat Mission's aim of clean India

Praveen Prakash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, on Monday urged the stakeholders of the waste management sector to take time-bound decisions and put systems in place to make the 'Swachch Bharat Mission' a success.

The mission was launched by the Government of India on October 2, 2014. It aims to achieve clean India by 2019.

While addressing a seminar 'Waste2Value: Unlocking the Potential of Swachch Bharat Mission' in line with the Swachch Bharat Mission, organized by FICCI along with the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), Government of India; Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands and Netherlands Waste2Value Consortia, Prakash said that at present, only 15 percent waste was being treated and managed but in the next four years the government has pledged to treat 100 percent waste.

He added this was a great opportunity for both public and private players in the waste management sector to contribute towards a greener and cleaner India.

Prakash said that the Government of India would fund the preparation and approval of the Detailed Project Reports but would need the state governments and private sector to partner in driving waste management projects.

He added that policy interventions at the federal level would be needed to make waste management projects viable, hence the government was working on amending many of its policies including the Electricity Act and Waste Management rules.