Lok Sabha Question No. 5401 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-03
Subject: Waste Management Policies
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Ms. S Jothimani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5401 TO BE ANSWERED ON APRIL 03, 2025

## WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICIES

NO. 5401.  MS. S JOTHIMANI:

Will  the  Minister  for  HOUSING  AND  URBAN  AFFAIRS  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  current  national  waste  management  policies  and whether there have been any recent updates to improve urban waste management;
- (b) the action taken/being taken by the Government to integrate advanced waste  management technologies  such  as  waste-to-energy,  AI-driven waste sorting and recycling innovations;
- (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure the financial sustainability of waste management programmes along with the details of the budgetary allocations made for urban waste management in the current fiscal year;
- (d) the  measures  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  encourage Public-Private  Partnerships  (PPPs)  in  waste  management  along  with the details of the incentives for private sector investment; and
- (e) the details of the projects being planned to reduce landfill dependency and promote circular economy principles?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)

(a)  :  At  present  Solid  Waste  Manage  Management  in  the  country  is governed  by  The  Solid  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016  (SWM  Rules, 2016)  notified  by  the  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) proposed the Draft Solid Waste Management Rules, 2024, on December 9,  2024, aiming to address unmanaged solid waste, promote circular economy principles, and strengthen monitoring & enforcement.

(b)  to  (e):  Sanitation  is  a  State  subject  under  7th  schedule  of  the constitution and by the 74th amendment of the Constitution of India the devolution of power has been made to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for water and sanitation services. It is the responsibility of State/ULBs to plan, design, execute and operate sanitation projects in the urban areas of the country.

To support the States/ULBs, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) provide policy directions, financial and technical support by sharing Manuals/Standard of Procedures (SoPs) on Solid Waste Management and issue various Advisories & Guidelines time to time for choosing appropriate technologies to manage  solid waste. The selection of technologies is open to ULBs/State Governments, allowing them to choose any proven technology as outlined in the Central Public Health & Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) Manual and advisories issued from time to time.

Funds under SBM-U are allocated for the entire mission period and not on yearly basis. Under SBM - U 2.0, the total financial outlay of the States  and  UTs  for  the  Mission  Period  is  ₹1,41,600  Cr,  including committed Central Assistance of ₹36,465 Cr .

Further, under SBM-U 2.0, projects under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode are encouraged to invite private capital in urban infrastructure as well as to bring in private sector efficiency in delivery of urban services and Operation & Maintenance (O&M).

MoHUA promotes technology innovation for solid and liquid waste management.  SBM 2.0 has launched a Swachhata Start-up Challenge to on-board Start-ups and entrepreneurs to promote technologies and innovation in the sector.

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