Gandhinagar: Gujarat govt has begun revising its waste-to-energy policy to manage growing urban waste and increase renewable energy generation, with a more liberal incentive framework aimed at attracting public and private investments.The urban development department and the energy and petrochemicals department have jointly initiated stakeholder consultations for the new policy, which is expected to be unveiled ahead of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) in Jan 2027.Officials said the overhaul has been prompted by the “not so encouraging” response to the existing policy, which has failed to meet expected outcomes in scientific waste management and power generation.“While efforts to effectively convert waste into power have fallen short of expectations, the incentives for waste-to-energy generation have also not been attractive enough,” a source said.The policy revamp comes at a time when the volume of municipal solid waste generated across Gujarat’s cities and towns has risen sharply over the past five to 10 years, increasing pressure on urban local bodies to adopt sustainable disposal mechanisms. The state generates over 10,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day, according to official figures.Under the proposed framework, the urban development department, responsible for municipal waste management, is expected to extend support by facilitating land allocation and project implementation.The energy and petrochemicals department, which regulates technical aspects of power generation and power purchase agreements, is likely to revise tariffs to make waste-to-energy projects commercially viable.The govt intends to encourage both public sector undertakings and private developers to set up waste-to-energy plants, with officials hoping the revised incentive structure will draw more investors.“The policy is expected to be more liberal because, apart from generating energy, such units are also instrumental in handling waste,” an official said.Officials said the revised policy seeks to strike a balance between environmental sustainability and energy security by treating municipal waste as a resource rather than merely a disposal challenge. The consultations will help fine-tune the incentive structure before the policy is finalised, sources said.
