| Work Detail |
The Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has greenlit proposals amounting to ?860.35 crore for West Bengal under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0). This funding marks a substantial increase from the previous phase, with the state receiving ?911.34 crore during SBM-U 1.0 (2014-19), now boosted to ?1449.30 crore in SBM-U 2.0 (2021-26).
According to a statement by MoHUA on Thursday, the ministry has been collaborating closely with West Bengal to enhance waste management and sanitation practices across the state. Currently, West Bengal contends with 118 legacy waste dumpsites, of which only 5% have undergone remediation. The Dhapa landfill in Kolkata, operational since 1987, is undergoing bio-mining and bioremediation processes, sanctioned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), to extract usable materials from accumulated waste.
Cities in West Bengal collectively generate about 4,046 tons of municipal solid waste daily. In response, under SBM-U 2.0, the state has proposed a comprehensive strategy including over 4,800 composting plants, 4,500 material recovery facilities (MRFs), and 2,216 secured landfill facilities (SLFs) to manage this substantial waste output in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The states initiative also focuses on bolstering waste-to-energy capabilities, with MoHUA approving 460 compressed bio-gas (CBG) plants as part of the ongoing efforts. Additionally, proposals worth ?217 crore have been sanctioned under SBM-U 2.0 for the remediation of legacy waste dumpsites across more than 100 urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state.
In a bid to expedite these vital projects, the Government of India has released an additional tranche of ?209 crore to ensure seamless funding for sanitation and waste management initiatives. The state aims to establish waste processing plants in all urban areas by 2026 under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, aligning with national goals for cleanliness and sustainable urban development. |
