Forbes hails ‘Suthra Punjab’ program as world’s largest waste management model

The American magazine Forbes has praised the Punjab government’s  ‘Suthra Punjab’ (Clean Punjab) program.

According to the Forbes report, the Suthra Punjab program has become the world’s largest integrated waste management system. The Punjab government provided an effective solution to the province’s waste problems within just eight months.

The report highlighted that under the program, 50,000 tons of waste are collected daily, streets have been cleaned, and pollution has significantly decreased.

The program has also generated over 100,000 jobs and provided regular waste collection services to millions of residents for the first time.

It was presented at COP30 on the global stage, where it was recognized as an “Integrated Waste and Climate Action” model.

According to the report, the initiative serves as a learning opportunity for world leaders and a benchmark for effective urban waste management.

The Suthra Punjab initiative was made possible through a three-tier financing stack that blends public and private funding.

Modest user fees were introduced to instill co-ownership, the government provided seed grants for public services like street sweeping, and carbon credits and energy sales from waste-to-energy projects have unlocked new revenue streams.

All funds flow into an escrow account managed by the waste authority to ensure transparency.