The Suchitwa Mission for a Waste-free Kerala has leveraged the services of young professionals to support and strengthen waste management schemes of Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) across the State.

Inaugurating a training programme for young professionals enrolled in the initiative, Minister for Local Self Government and Excise, M B Rajesh, said it is vital to ensure the quality and efficiency of waste management projects in all local bodies, in which young professionals could contribute significantly.

“The Local Self Government Department is giving top priority to ensure that solid waste management schemes follow certain standards and quality parameters. Still, there are variations in standards and quality of services delivered. This needs to be rectified by bringing in greater professionalism and close monitoring,” the Minister said.

The services of young professionals will impart a fresh energy and momentum to the Malinya Mukta Nava Keralam campaign and raise the state’s ranking in hygiene and cleanliness, the Minister said.

Kerala’s position on all key social development indices is much higher than the national average. But that is not the case with waste management activities. We need to make concerted efforts to fill this gap. The Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) needs to be strengthened to set a model for the whole country, he said.

The government has already equipped all LSGIs with basic infrastructures for material collection and recycling of collected material through various schemes. Still, the state lags behind many others in hygiene and waste management ranking. Failure on the part of LSGIs to properly utilise the services of HKS, optimisation of capacities of the facilities, and want of proper documentation are key reasons for this. Leveraging the services of youth professionals would help fill these gaps, Rajesh added.

Additional Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, who presided over the function, said the enrolment of young professionals will bolster waste management activities of Urban Local Bodies.

Shortage of skilled human resources is a major reason for the lag in activities in many places. Young professionals joining the mission will be able to provide technology support for the speedy implementation of schemes by local bodies, she said. 

City corporations and municipalities in the State will start getting the services of these young professionals from the current month. The Suchitwa Mission will further strengthen its activities and ensure co-ordination with the urban local bodies, Suchitwa Mission Executive Director, K T Balabhaskar, said.

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