NEW DELHI: With the NITI Aayog readying red carpet for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad in November, key ministries have been asked if the electronic waste policy could be revisited.
“We have asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Commerce if the demands of entrepreneurs can be looked into for relaxation in the e-waste policy,” said a senior official of the NITI Aayog.The policy mandates that the manufacturers collect 30 per cent of electronic garbage in the first two years, which would be scaled up to 40 per cent in the third year. However, government sources stated that manufacturers hardly meet the norms.
With the government aggressively wooing electronic manufacturers in an attempt to beat China, NITI Aayog is looking at policies that require “tweaking” to attract foreign manufacturers. The e-waste in India is estimated at about 18 lakh metric tonne. Industry bodies claim that the electronic waste would increase to about 50 lakh metric tonne in next three years. Government sources said that not even 10 per cent of the e-waste is being collected.“We are working on a plan to address the issue of waste in general in the country. Not only electronic waste, but all kinds of garbage (solid waste) need a comprehensive intervention. What we propose is that there should be a Public Private Partnership model in setting up recycling plants of waste in major cities in the country,” added an official.
The officials have noted that the manufacturers are resorting to schemes like exchange offer to meet requirements of the e-waste policy. “The exchanged electronic goods are apparently resold in the market, which again creates a new challenge,” said the official.
Global Entrepreneurship Summit
The GES is being held for the first time in India. Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, will be leading a posse of entrepreneurs from the US. NITI Aayog is hopeful that India will be able to make a strong case for attracting investment in the manufacturing sector.