பிளாஸ்டிக் பூங்கா / PLASTIC PARKS IN INDIA: புதிய பெட்ரோலிய ரசாயனத் திட்டம் என்ற பெருந் திட்டத்தின்கீழ் நெகிழிப் பூங்காக்கள் அமைக்கும் திட்டத்தை மத்திய ரசாயனம் மற்றும் பெட்ரோலியத்துறை அமைச்சகம் செயல்படுத்தி வருகிறது. அதி நவீன உள்கட்டமைப்பு வசதிகளுடன் தேவையின் அடிப்படையில் நெகிழிப் பூங்காக்கள் அமைக்கப்படும்.
உள்நாட்டு நெகிழிப் பொருட்களின் (பிளாஸ்டிக்) மறு சுழற்சித் திறன்களை வலுப்படுத்தும் வகையில் இவை அமைக்கப்படுகின்றன.
இத்துறையில் முதலீடு, உற்பத்தி, ஏற்றுமதி ஆகியவற்றை அதிகரிக்கவும், வேலைவாய்ப்பை உருவாக்கவும் உதவிடும் வகையில் நெகிழிப் பொருட்களை பதனப்படுத்தும் தொழில்துறையின் திறன்களை ஒருங்கிணைத்து செயல்படுத்துவதே இதன் நோக்கமாகும்.
இத்திட்டத்தின் கீழ், அதிகபட்சமாக ரூ.40 கோடி வரை, திட்ட மதிப்பீட்டில் 50 சதவீதம் அளவிற்கு மானியமாக மத்திய அரசு வழங்குகிறது.
பிளாஸ்டிக் பூங்கா என்பது நெகிழிப் பொருட்கள் தொடர்பான வர்த்தகங்கள், தொழில்களுக்காக வடிவமைக்கப்பட்ட ஒரு தொழில்துறை மண்டலமாகும்.
பிளாஸ்டிக் பதனப்படுத்தும் தொழிலின் திறன்களை ஒருங்கிணைத்தல், முதலீடு, உற்பத்தி மற்றும் ஏற்றுமதியை ஊக்குவித்தல், வேலைவாய்ப்பை உருவாக்குதல் ஆகியவற்றை இத்திட்டம் நோக்கமாகக் கொண்டுள்ளது.
இந்தப் பூங்காக்கள் கழிவு மேலாண்மை மற்றும் மறுசுழற்சி முயற்சிகள் மூலம் சுற்றுச்சூழலுக்கு உகந்த நிலையான வளர்ச்சியை அடைவதில் கவனம் செலுத்துகின்றன.
பிளாஸ்டிக் கழிவுகளை நிர்வகித்தல், மறுசுழற்சியை ஊக்குவித்தல் மற்றும் ரசாயன தொழிலுக்கு ஆதரவளித்தல் ஆகியவற்றிற்கான இந்தியாவின் உத்திசார் திட்டமாக இந்தப் பிளாஸ்டிக் பூங்காக்கள் உருவெடுத்துள்ளன. பல்வேறு மாநிலங்களில் இதுவரை 10 நெகிழிப் பூங்காக்கள் அமைக்க ஒப்புதல் அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
ENGLISH
PLASTIC PARKS IN INDIA: The Department of Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals is implementing the Scheme for Setting up of Plastic Parks under the umbrella scheme of New Scheme of Petrochemicals, to support setting up need-based Plastic Parks, with requisite state-of-the-art infrastructure, enabling common facilities through cluster development approach, to consolidate the capacities of the domestic downstream plastic processing industry.
The objective is to consolidate and synergize the capacities of downstream plastic processing industry to help increase investment, production and export in the sector as well as generate employment.
Under the scheme, the government of India provides grant funding up to 50% of the project cost subject to a ceiling of Rs.40 crore per project.
Background and Objectives
PLASTIC PARKS IN INDIA: India stands 12th in the world export of plastics, as per the 2022 World Bank estimates. It has grown exponentially from 2014, when it was worth just 8.2 million thousand USD, as compared to the 2022 estimates, where it reached 27 million thousand USD.
This growth has been a result of the constant efforts by the Indian government to promote the production and export of plastics, like setting up Plastic Parks.
The Indian plastics industry was large but highly fragmented with dominance of tiny, small and medium units and thus lacks the capacity to tap this opportunity.
The Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals formulated this scheme with a view to synergize and consolidate the capacities through cluster development and enhance India’s plastic production and export capabilities. The scheme has the following objectives:
Increase the competitiveness, polymer absorption capacity and value addition in the domestic downstream plastic processing industry through adaptation of modern, research and development led measurers.
Increase investments in the sector through additions in capacity and production, creating quality infrastructure and other facilitation to ensure value addition and increase in exports.
Achieve environmentally sustainable growth through innovative methods of waste management, recycling, etc.
Adopt a cluster development approach to achieve the above objectives owing to its benefits arising due to optimization of resources and economies of scale.
Process of setting up a Plastic Park
PLASTIC PARKS IN INDIA: For the purpose of setting up Plastic Parks, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals seeks preliminary proposals from state governments, highlighting the proposed location, financial details, broad cost estimates etc.
Following in-principle approval from the Scheme Steering Committee, the State implementing agency is required to submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Department, which is evaluated and final approval is given by the Scheme Steering Committee based on the viability of the proposed project.
For example, in November, 2020, the Department invited proposals from the state governments for establishing two new Plastic Parks. Proposals were received from the state governments of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (02 proposals), Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.
These were examined by an Expert Committee, based on which the setting up of Plastic Parks at Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and at Ganjimutt, Karnataka, was approved in July, 2022 and January, 2022 respectively.
The Government provides grants-in-aid for the establishment of the Plastic Parks. The implementation of these projects as well as the process of getting them populated by industrial units is largely in the hands of the Special Purpose Vehicles set up by the State Government or State Industrial Development Corporation or their agencies.
The respective States have taken several steps to promote private sector participation in these Plastic Parks, including conducting awareness and sensitization programmes for the industry, providing plots at competitive rates, giving tax incentives etc.
Under the Scheme, common infrastructure for the sustainability and eco-friendliness of industrial units is provided including effluent treatment plant, solid/ hazardous waste management, facilities for plastic recycling, incinerator etc. Some of the Plastic Parks have also established in-house recycling sheds for recycling of plastic waste.
Indian Plastic Industry and Environment Sustainability
PLASTIC PARKS IN INDIA: The Government of India has taken several steps to ensure that the development of the plastic industry is environmentally sustainable and aligned with global sustainability standards.
The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations for plastic packaging mandate targets for minimum level of reuse, recycling and use of recycled content.
This ensures accountability for waste collection, recycling, and reuse. Certain single-use plastics have been banned, with a focus on reducing plastic waste. The regulations also mandate to utilize minimum amount of recycled material in packaging products.
The Hazardous Waste Management Rules seek to ensure proper disposal of hazardous chemicals and promote waste minimization and resource recovery.
The Government promotes the adoption of circular economy principles in the plastic industry, including recycling and the use of biodegradable alternatives.
In order to promote the latest technologies and products for circular economy, the Department supports and encourages industry in organizing discussions and exhibitions to showcase the latest technologies and machinery for waste management, recycling and up-cycling as well as the innovative products made from recycled material.
India engages with international organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to enable compliance with global sustainability standards.
Further, India actively participates in meetings of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) which formulates international standards for plastic products.
