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Centre to roll out special programme for remediation of 44% of legacy waste within a year

Centre to roll out special programme for remediation of 44% of legacy waste within a year

Time of India4 days ago
File photo
NEW DELHI: With less than a year remaining to meet its target of zero dumpsites, the Union govt will roll out a special programme on August 15 for the remediation of 44% of legacy waste in urban areas within a year.
The Centre will also provide incentive to states and cities to set up more solid waste treatment plants.
Speaking at an event on Swachh Survekshan, housing and urban affairs minister
Manohar Lal Khattar
said remediation of legacy waste in big cities is a huge challenge. 'We will roll out a special Accelerated Dumpsite Remediation Programme for one year starting Aug 15. The focus will be on reducing the legacy waste and increasing the waste processing capacity.
There will be incentive for setting up solid waste treatment plants under this programme,' he said.
Sources said the details of the scheme are being worked out, with the ministry receiving feedback from state urban development ministers on Thursday.
At the launch of
Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0
in 2021, the govt had set a target of making cities free of all legacy landfills by 2026. Around 50% of land under legacy dumpsites has been freed so far, Khattar said.
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Gurgaon's problem is it's remote-controlled from Chandigarh, Rao Inderjit Singh says at TOI Townhall
Gurgaon's problem is it's remote-controlled from Chandigarh, Rao Inderjit Singh says at TOI Townhall

Time of India

time44 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Gurgaon's problem is it's remote-controlled from Chandigarh, Rao Inderjit Singh says at TOI Townhall

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  • Mint

Clean mobility crossroads: Why states side with EVs over hybrids

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While EV makers demand incentives should be reserved for zero-tailpipe emission vehicles, hybrid makers say their vehicles are far more fuel-efficient than conventional ICE vehicles, and that they serve as a bridge to a cleaner future. Few takers According to analysts at HSBC Global Research, at the end of 2024, only five states and union territories had incentivized sales of hybrid vehicles, which included Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh. With the withdrawal of hybrid incentives in Chhattisgarh, the number has reduced to four. Incentives by Delhi and Uttarakhand haven't been implemented yet, with final EV policy notification expected in months ahead. With states charting their own course to clean mobility through targeted policies, the hybrid lobby led by Maruti Suzuki has locked horns with the EV lobby led by Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra. 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A technology like Strong Hybrid reduces CO₂ emission by 26-32% and improves fuel efficiency by 35-44% over pure petrol/diesel. However, it has a viability gap which needs to be addressed, as many countries of the world and many Indian states are already doing by incentivizing hybrids." The reluctance among states to include incentives for hybrid vehicles comes at a time when the automobile industry is locked in a sharp contest over a provision in Delhi's EV policy. Mint reported on 30 May that top automakers including Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra and Hyundai Motor India Ltd had approached the heavy industries ministry and federal thinktank Niti Aayog after the Delhi government proposed to include incentives for hybrid vehicles on par with EVs in its upcoming EV policy. Tata Motors, MG Motor India, Mahindra and Mahindra and Hyundai Motor India are India's leading EV manufacturers. Maruti Suzuki, Toyota India and Honda Cars India are the only companies offering hybrids. 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GMDA must meet at least once a month, not once or twice a year, says Rao Inderjit Singh
GMDA must meet at least once a month, not once or twice a year, says Rao Inderjit Singh

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

GMDA must meet at least once a month, not once or twice a year, says Rao Inderjit Singh

Gurgaon: GMDA was established to emulate the Noida Authority model as a centralised body that would steer the city's development, Union minister and Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh said at TOI's #WeMakeGurgaon Townhall on Saturday. "Despite the intention of creating a one-window powerhouse, the existence of both the municipal corporation and GMDA, according to Singh, resulted in a lack of clarity regarding their respective areas of influence and administration. Conceived as a Noida Authority-like body, GMDA doesn't function as one. Formed in 2018, the development authority is now seven years old, so there's been enough time to steer it in the direction of its purpose. But the state govt has not quite been able to take it there. One of the main criticisms of GMDA is that its execution is slow and its contributions to the city's infrastructure improvements not very apparent. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon Singh said when GMDA was formed, its CEO was allowed to sanction only projects up to Rs 50 lakh. Only recently, it was enhanced to Rs 2.5 crore. "The power of the MCG house (to sanction projects) was earlier Rs 2 crore only and now it has become Rs 10 crore. If you have a project which is over Rs 10 crore, it has to go to the minister, and if it is over Rs 25 crore, to the high-powered purchase committee sitting in Chandigarh. Now, this is a remote-controlled administrative setup with which I am not really very happy," said Singh, referring to the slowness of project execution in Gurgaon. In Noida, he added, Noida Authority operates through a single-window system. But Gurgaon is hobbled by multiple agencies, creating a complex administrative structure. Noida manages licences for residential colonies and plotted areas, while in Gurgaon, developers independently acquire land from farmers, aggregate it and then seek licences from the town and country planning department, said the minister, pointing out structural flaws in Gurgaon's governance. "Persistent flooding in Gurgaon stems from developers incorporating perennial waterways into their projects and constructing buildings upon them. With these natural water channels obstructed, water seeks alternative paths, resulting in widespread flooding throughout the city," he said. "Steps are being taken to establish a unified authority for issuing licences. There are concerns that the next developing city might face similar challenges as Gurgaon. It is crucial to avoid replicating the mistakes made in Gurgaon's development process in future urban expansion projects," he added. Singh also pointed out that GMDA has a meeting once a year or perhaps twice a year, which is not enough. "I mean, Gurgaon is generating so many problems every day. This is something that I'm trying to ask the chief minister to do. The GMDA meeting should not be held six-monthly. It should at least be held once a month. Even if the chief minister, who is the head of GMDA, cannot come, at least the officers should all convene once a month here in Gurgaon," said Singh.

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