Archive · 13 Dec 2025
IAS Officer Leads 470 Women in Odisha's Waste-to-Wealth Initiative
In Odisha, a kind-hearted government officer named Manoj Mahajan started a special project to help clean up villages and give jobs to women.
These women, called Swachhta Sathis, go door-to-door to collect waste and sort it into different types.
They then take the useful plastic to recyclers and use the other waste for things like building roads.
This project has helped clean up 1,682 villages and given jobs to over 470 women, who now earn money to support their families.
The women are very happy because they can work in the mornings and take care of their families the rest of the day.
The project has also made the villages cleaner and taught people about the importance of keeping their surroundings tidy.
Manoj Mahajan, IAS officer, launched the 'Aama Sundargarh Swachh Sundargarh' initiative to manage rural waste in Odisha.
Over 470 rural women, called Swachhta Sathis, collect, segregate, and recycle plastic waste, earning Rs 6,500-7,500 monthly.
The initiative has processed 275 metric tonnes of plastic waste and generated Rs 17 lakhs in revenue.
The project covers 1,682 villages, impacting 3.6 lakh households, and has created a self-sustaining waste management system.
Women received training in waste segregation, collection, and processing, and now manage Material Recovery Facilities and collection centers.
- Who
- Manoj Mahajan, IAS officer and collector of Sundargarh, along with 470+ rural women (Swachhta Sathis)
- What
- A waste management initiative that collects, segregates, and recycles plastic waste, creating livelihoods for women
- When
- Initiative began in 2021, fully operational by early 2023
- Where
- Sundargarh district, Odisha, India
- Why
- To address open dumping of waste, preserve village cleanliness, and create economic opportunities for women
- Location
- Sundargarh, Odisha
- Initiative Name
- Aama Sundargarh Swachh Sundargarh
- Waste Processed
- 275 metric tonnes of plastic waste
- Women Involved
- 470+ rural women
- Revenue Generated
- Rs 17 lakhs
- Monthly Earnings
- Rs 6,500-7,500 per woman
- Project Investment
- ₹14 crore
- Villages Covered
- 1,682 villages
- Households Impacted
- 3.6 lakh households