17 hours ago
A.P. govt. to announce circular economy policy in two months
The Andhra Pradesh government will announce a new circular economy policy in the next two months as part of its efforts to strengthen the waste management system in the State. The government would also set up three Circular Economy Parks within a year.
Disclosing this at a review meeting held at the Secretariat on Tuesday, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stated that single-use plastic would be banned in 17 Municipal Corporations, including Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Rajamahendravaram, from October 2.
Additionally, 157 Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (RRR) centres would be set up in 87 urban areas, and the government would encourage the use of cloth bags in these cities. It would also present 'Swachhta Awards' to the outstanding performers in waste management, he said.
Mr. Naidu asked the officials to prepare a comprehensive plan focusing on 11 sectors identified by the Central government under the circular economy framework: municipal waste, vehicles, lithium batteries, gypsum, tyres, rubber, electronics, agriculture, industry, and aqua waste.
Additionally, the departments of mining, handlooms, and animal husbandry would also be included. Urban and rural local bodies should strive to achieve the goal of zero waste, he said.
'Swachhta' Awards
To encourage the best practices, the Chief Minister proposed that 'Swachhta' Awards should be introduced from October 2 next year for individuals and institutions demonstrating excellence in waste management. Awards will be distributed across categories such as local bodies, self-help groups, anganwadis, schools and colleges, bus stands, hospitals, NGOs, and other organisations.
The officials informed Mr. Naidu that 52 waste clusters had been formedd across the State—two in each district, covering urban and panchayat areas.
Every year, Andhra Pradesh generates 36,588 tonnes of battery and automotive waste, 61,996 tonnes of plastic and PET bottle waste, 23,928 litres of engine and hydraulic oil waste, and 59,654 tonnes of tyre and rubber waste. Agriculture contributes over 4 million metric tonnes of waste annually, while the livestock, aquaculture, and poultry sectors together generate 34.7 million metric tonnes. In rural areas, 1,329 tonnes of waste are generated daily from 8.8 million households. The officials presented incentives provided for circular economy initiatives in Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Effective implementation of the circular economy model in Andhra Pradesh could boost the State's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) by an estimated ₹15,000 crore annually. Additionally, it would allow the supply of materials worth ₹10,000 crore to the manufacturing sector. This value addition is expected to generate ₹3,000 crore annually in GST revenue. The initiative could also create direct employment for 100,000 people and support 10,000 micro-entrepreneurs, indirectly providing livelihoods to over 1 million individuals.
The environmental benefits include reduced carbon emissions and significant control over land, water, and air pollution, they said.
