Change is Possible: Urban solid waste management: Stories of transformation from India

December 20, 2024

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 is a visionary initiative with an ambitious goal of making India “garbagefree” by 2026. By placing a heavy emphasis on solid waste management, the Mission targets critical components like remediation of legacy waste, increasing treatment and processing capacities, and diverting 80 per cent of municipal solid waste from reaching landfills. With a financial commitment of over Rs 1.4 lakh crore and the introduction of performance-linked disbursals as an innovative financing mechanism, SBM 2.0 has opened significant opportunities for transforming waste management practices across India

At the heart of this transformation lies the pivotal role of local governments, which are tasked with achieving defined milestones to access additional Central assistance. The success of this ambitious programme depends on strategic assessment, efficient planning and the implementation of systems that prioritise the diversion of recyclable and treatable waste from landfills. The scale of SBM 2.0 also creates avenues for partnerships and collaboration among private companies, research institutions, academia, civil society organisations, consultancy firms, start-ups, and other stakeholders. Together, these entities can foster an ecosystem that turns waste management into sustainable business models while addressing economic and environmental imperatives.