- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change have extended the timeline to invite comments on Draft National Resource Efficiency Policy (NREP).
- Resource efficiency means using the Earth’s limited resources in a sustainable manner while minimising impacts on the environment.It allows us to create more with fewer materials.
- The NREP envisions a future with (a)environmentally sustainable and equitable economic growth (b)resource security (c)healthy environment and (d)restored ecosystems with rich ecology and biodiversity.
- The draft policy suggests setting up a ‘National Resource Efficiency Authority’(NREA) to (a)develop an action plan with three years time-frame (b)create and maintain database (c)measure progress and (d)build capacities.
- The policy also seeks to constitute an inter-ministerial body named National Resource Efficiency Advisory Board(NREAB) for coordination among different agencies.
- The policy also plans to offer (a)tax benefits on recycled materials (b) green loans to small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) and (c)soft loans to construct waste disposal facilities.
- The policy also pitches for moving towards ‘zero landfill’ approach in the country.This means imposing ‘landfill taxes’ and ‘high tipping fees’ on bulk generators of waste so that they can move towards optimal use of materials and better waste management.
- The policy seeks to drive the country towards circular economy through efficient use of available material resources based on principle of 6R and ‘green public procurement’.
- The 6R stands for reduce, reuse, recycle, redesign, re-manufacture and refurbish.On the other hand,‘green public procurement’ means to procure products with lower environmental footprints such as secondary raw materials and locally sourced materials.
