Patna: Bihar has set a new benchmark in sanitation and technology with an innovative initiative in Lakhwa Gram Panchayat of Nautan Block, Siwan district. The village has become the first in the country where household waste is being purchased directly from homes through a mobile application.
This initiative, launched under the Lohia Swachh Bihar Abhiyan (LSBA), is emerging as an effective model for rural cleanliness, digital innovation, and self-reliance. What was once considered mere waste has now gained economic value for local residents.
Mobile App Drives Waste-to-Income Model
Through the mobile app Kabad Mandi, villagers register details of the waste generated in their households. Based on this information, Asraj Scrap Solution Private Limited collects the waste at scheduled times, weighs it, and pays residents according to pre-determined rates. This digital system ensures transparency and efficiency from waste collection to payment.
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Transparent Pricing for Different Waste Categories
The initiative has clearly defined rates for different types of waste:
- Plastic bottles: ₹15/kg
- Black plastic: ₹2/kg
- White mixed plastic: ₹5/kg
- Large cardboard: ₹8/kg
- Medium cardboard: ₹6/kg
- Small cardboard: ₹4/kg
- Paper: ₹3/kg
- Tin: ₹10/kg
This structured pricing system has encouraged households to segregate waste at the source, boosting community participation in sustainable waste management.
Waste Converted into Useful Products
Collected waste is sent to the Plastic Waste Management Unit (PWMU) and Waste Processing Unit (WPU), where it is scientifically processed into durable, useful products. These include laptop bags, bottle bags, carry bags, ladies’ purses, diaries, key rings, benches, and cupboards. This not only supports environmental protection but also generates local employment opportunities.
LSBA’s Wider Impact Across Bihar
Under the Lohia Swachh Bihar Abhiyan, solid and liquid waste management initiatives have been implemented extensively across the state:
- 7,020 Gram Panchayats now have Waste Processing Units
- 171 Plastic Waste Management Units are operational
- Thousands of tons of single-use plastics are being scientifically processed and recycled
According to Shravan Kumar, Bihar Minister for Rural Development and Transport, “This integrated system for waste segregation, collection, transportation, and processing has given a new dimension to cleanliness. Waste-based products from Bihar are now inspiring other states as well.”
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