India Launches a Programme for Removing Garbage Dumps

To address the growing challenge of garbage mountains in urban India, the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0) has set a clear target to achieve “Lakshya Zero Dumpsites” by September 2026. 

To support this goal, the central government provides financial assistance to cities, with an estimated ₹550 per tonne for legacy waste remediation. So far, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has extended Central Financial Assistance of ₹4,181 crore for projects worth ₹10,228 crore, benefiting 2,484 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across 28 States and Union Territories.

To date, 1,048 of 2,476 dumpsites, holding nearly 250 million MT of waste, have been fully remediated, with several others at various stages of completion. In total, 14.33 crore metric tons of legacy waste have been processed, and nearly 7,580 acres (50%) of land have been reclaimed.

To achieve the goal of Lakshya (Target) Zero Dumpsites by September 2026, cities must accelerate their remediation efforts by at least twice the current pace. To support this, it is proposed to launch a year-long, targeted initiative under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP).

This programme adopts a fast-tracked, structured approach to remediate these dumpsites at an accelerated pace, reclaiming precious land for utility services, parks, or community facilities, and preventing the accumulation of fresh waste.

Currently, 1,428 sites are undergoing remediation, and about 80% of the legacy waste is concentrated in 214 sites across 202 ULBs. DRAP will prioritise these high-impact locations, covering approximately 8.8 crore MT of legacy waste.

Objectives

The key objectives for the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme are to:

• Accelerate ULBs’ ongoing efforts to remediate dumpsites.
• Ensuring 100% dumpsite clearance within 1 year of adoption.
• Ensuring that no new dumpsites are created during the processing of fresh waste.
• Land under the dumpsite to be reclaimed for SWM activities or to develop green cover as a preference.

Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme framework

The DRAP model will follow SBM’s 5P framework—Political leadership, Public financing, Partnerships, People’s participation, and Project management.

Political Leadership: Senior political and administrative leaders are encouraged to adopt one of the 202 targeted dumpsites. By leveraging a leadership-driven adoption model, DRAP aims to leverage senior leadership’s oversight to drive progress and ensure the programme’s success.

Public Financing: DRAP will offer additional financial support for select cities grappling with substantial legacy waste. This support is in addition to the funds made available to cities based on their approved CSWAPs.

Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme funding can be used for both legacy waste remediation and processing of fresh waste.

The disbursement of Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to cities is in accordance with the operational guidelines of Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0, i.e., 25%/or, 33%, or 50% of the project cost (calculated at ₹550/tonne), based on the category of cities.

Partnerships: Each dumpsite is envisioned to have one or more of the following partnerships that can support the goal.

• Corporate/Public Sector Undertakings for support in financing, logistics, technical, utilisation and disposal
• State Public Welfare Departments and State Highways Departments/National Highway Authority of India will be advised to absorb inert waste from dumpsites for road construction, infrastructure and similar projects (as per policy guidelines issued by India’s Ministry of Road Transport & Highways)
• Technical partners for engineering services, remediation, assessment and validation
• NGO Partners for community engagement and awareness

Public Advocacy: As communities living near dumpsites are often the most affected, the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme will encourage partnering with NGOs for awareness drives and health camps, as well as advocacy activities for Safai Mitras, truck drivers, other workers, and nearby inhabitants.

Project management: DRAP’s approach involves timed planning, execution, and monitoring of dumpsite remediation. It consists of creating micro-action plans for each site, with clear timelines, resource allocation, and accountability mechanisms.

A multi-tiered monitoring system, through digital tools and public dashboards, promotes transparency and competitiveness among ULBs.

Eligibility criteria

All States and Union Territories with ongoing legacy waste remediation projects will be included under this initiative. To ensure equitable access to funding and support, cities in the following categories will be eligible:

I. Dumpsites with more than 45,000 metric tonnes (MT) of legacy waste

II. Dumpsites with ongoing legacy waste remediation efforts.

Note: No limitation on legacy waste availability for UTs and North Eastern States

Approach for implementation

1. Micro-Planning by Cities: Each city will prepare micro-action plans for every dumpsite, detailing:

• Processing and disposal mechanisms, including identification of nearby proposed/ongoing projects, low-lying areas, industries, etc., for disposal of inert, C&D and RDF
• Measures to prevent fresh waste dumping during and post-remediation
• Commissioner/EO to certify the balance quantity to be remediated under the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP).
• Identification of the funding gap and availability of funds for the State and ULB share
• Agencies engaged for remediation, along with an incentive to accelerate or early complete scheduled targets.
• The model tender document developed by MoHUA is to be used while preparing tenders. Cities are encouraged to add a specific clause on an incentive in their remediation contracts.
• Plan for the utilisation of remediated land
• Timelines for complete remediation

The ULB will need to revise its CSWAP, incorporate the micro-plan, seek approval from the SLTC, and submit it for NARC approval. The entire approval process is envisaged to be completed within 30 days of the submission of the micro-plan.

2. Multi-Tiered Monitoring

• MoHUA officials will serve as nodal officers for monitoring progress.
• Remediation data will be uploaded to the Swachhatam portal. Dumpsites with existing IT systems will provide the daily data through API.
• Dumpsites without an IT monitoring system will use the daily reporting format provided by MoHUA until they install the IT infrastructure for monitoring.

3. Competitiveness and Transparency: Competition between ULBs will be encouraged to foster innovation and speed.

• A public dashboard will be developed to track progress across all sites
• Monitoring of vehicles through GPS/RFID/digital cameras, and feed to be provided to MoHUA
• A leadership board will be developed, with weightage given to:
  • Processing efficiency
  • Utilisation of segregated waste
  • Volume of waste disposed of

4. Financial and Technical Support: The following additional assistance will be provided by MoHUA:

• Funding for setting up supplementary infrastructure
• Funding for accelerating waste processing and remediation
• Focused technical support for fast-tracking projects
• Partnerships with PSU/others or linkages

5. Branding and Public Engagement

• Site-specific branding will be developed to promote visibility and community pride.
• NGOs will be engaged for awareness campaigns, health camps, and worker advocacy, ensuring people’s participation remains central to the programme.
• These additions strengthen DRAP’s core pillars—Political Leadership, Public Financing, Partnerships, and People’s Participation—and ensure that remediation is not only fast-tracked but also sustainable, inclusive, and transparent.

Timelines and activities