India, ADB ink $200mn pact to improve waste management in 100 cities

NEW DELHI: The Government of India has signed a $200 million (₹1700 crore) loan pact with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve solid waste management and overall sanitation in around 100 cities in eight states of India.

It was informed that Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, signed the agreement for the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 -Comprehensive Municipal Waste Management in Indian Cities Programme. Mio Oka, Country Director, ADB-India, inked the pact for ADB.

Once the agreement was signed by both parties, Mukherjee said the programme, for which the loan has been provided, will help achieve the objectives of the Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Mission-Urban 2.0, including improving the sanitation and solid waste management infrastructure, waste segregation, collection, and disposal.

Financial support from ADB will improve solid waste management and processing facilities, including bio-methanation plants, composting plants, managed landfills, material recovery facilities, and plastic waste processing facilities. Additionally, the agreement will pave the way for building community toilets and urinals and purchasing sweeping equipment. This, in turn, will increase the waste management and sanitation capacity of the urban local bodies. Improved capacity of the civic body will result in improved urban service delivery in the 100 cities across eight states of the country.