Department of Fertilizers is committed to do its utmost efforts to reduce the consumption of single use plastics.  As these are non biodegradable they pollute our environment.  An effective ban on single use plastic can happen if an alternative is available in the market.  Cloth/Jute bags, locally tailored and produced can be viable alternative. Women’s self help groups can easily be trained for tailoring and marketing of such cloth bags.

Looking into such opportunities, Department of Fertilizers, during the Swachhata Pakhwada and Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign, decided to distribute cloth bags produced by Women’s Self help Group Sri Laxmi Devi Swasya Group of village Maragondanahalli Grama Panchayat Ramohalli District, Karnataka to its employees.

It is hoped that  the employees would not only use cloth bags for the daily use but will be enthused to take action towards reducing use of plastic and would focus plastic waste management in a big way.  At the same time, the local production by self-help groups would also contribute as  additional source of income to them.

It is a small step taken by Department of Fertilizers to reduce single use plastic usage and to make people aware of viable alternative while at the same time to improve the income and livelihood of rural women of India.