Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. (Image: DC)
Vijayawada: Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan underlined that panchayats and municipalities in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh have the potential to earn approximately Rs 220 crore per month and Rs 2,640 crore annually, provided there is effective management of waste generated in these areas.
“Further, by implementing zero waste management in rural areas, we can provide employment to around 2.5 lakh people, each of them earning up to Rs 9,000 per month,” he observed.
The Deputy CM spoke after going through a photo exhibition on Solid Liquid Resource Management (SLRM) at the Commissioner of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development office on Friday.
He announced that the Swachh Andhra Corporation will launch the SLRM model on a pilot basis in Pithapuram, the home constituency of Pawan Kalyan. Under it, two unique initiatives – Garbage to Gold and Drainage to Diamond – will be launched in all the 54 panchayats and two municipalities of Pithapuram constituency, wherein the garbage and waste produced in their respective areas will be effectively managed and wealth generated.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the main objective of this project is to put a permanent stop to air and water pollution caused by garbage burning and dumping in water bodies. Processing the garbage will enable panchayats and municipalities to earn income and become financially self-reliant.
He said women of the self-help groups (SHGs) and like-minded people will be roped in to create awareness on waste segregation and zero waste management in rural areas. “There is an urgent need to bring about a cultural change among people towards disposal of waste,” he remarked.
The pilot project will be executed in Pithapuram constituency by Swachh Andhra Corporation in collaboration with SLRM project director C. Srinivasan. The project outcomes will be studied before implementing the project in all local bodies across the state.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story
