STAR RATING PROTOCOL FOR GARBAGE FREE CITIES

Context

• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the 'Star Rating Protocol of Garbage Free Cities- Toolkit 2022' on Good Governance Day (25th December).
• The Star Rating Protocol is a crucial governance tool for waste management.

Key Points

1. The revised protocol simplifies the certification process, making it digital and paperless.
2. New components like Information, Education & Communication (IEC), capacity building, and revenue from waste by-products aim to strengthen waste management ecosystems.
3. In the recent certification exercise, nearly 50% of Urban Local Bodies (2,238 cities) participated, and 299 cities received certification. Ratings include 9 cities as 5-star, 143 cities as 3-star, and 147 cities as 1-star.
4. Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, launched in October 2021, focuses on creating "Garbage Free Cities" for holistic sanitation and waste management.
5. The protocol is part of initiatives to make Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) successful.

Parameters and Procedure

1. The protocol relies on 12 parameters following a SMART framework – Single metric, Measurable, Achievable, Rigorous verification, and Targeted outcomes.
2. Conditions are designed for cities to evolve into a model (7-star) city with progressive improvements in cleanliness.
3. The framework assesses cities across 23 Solid Waste Management (SWM) components and is graded based on overall marks.
4. Star Rating involves self-assessment and self-verification for a specific rating, ensuring citizen group involvement for transparent self-declaration.
5. Independent third-party agencies appointed by MoHUA verify the self-declaration.

Significance

1. The performance of cities under the Star Rating Protocol is crucial for their final assessment in Swachh Survekshan.
2. Swachh Survekshan is the government's annual urban cleanliness survey.
3. It ensures minimum sanitation standards through defined prerequisites.
4. Conducted at a city level, the rating process facilitates incremental improvements in overall cleanliness.
5. The rating protocol, an outcome-based tool, aids MoHUA and stakeholders in evaluating cities.

Garbage in India

1. India produces the world's highest waste (147,613 MT per day as of January 2020) surpassing even China.
2. Per capita waste generation in Indian cities ranges from 200g to 600g per day.
3. Only 75-80% of municipal waste is collected, with just 22-28% processed and treated.
4. By 2050, India's waste generation is expected to double, while China's growth will be slower.

Related Initiatives

1. Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus status.
2. Swachh Bharat Mission.
3. Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2016.
4. CSIR-CMERI's Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility.

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