Marking the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) – CIRCULAR ECONOMY Campaign – 2023, the 9th Scrap Recycling and Waste Utilization conference successfully concluded in Jaipur which is a part of the multi-city awareness event to promote the recycling sector. The event on “Sustainable & Circular Bharat: Towards Zero Waste in Metals Processing” was hosted by the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) & Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development & Design Centre (JNARDDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Mines and Ministry of Steel.
9th AKAM conference inaugurated by Shri Sugrive Meena (IRS), Commissioner of Customs,
Jaipur – Chief Guest, Shri R P Gupta, Director, MoM, Dr. Anupam Agnihotri, Director, JNARDDC and Shri Sanjay Mehta, President, MRAI, Sitaram Agarwal, President, Steel Chamber of Rajasthan, L. Pugzhenthy, Executive Director, ILZDA, Navin Sharma, Director,
MRAI and Ritesh Maheshwari, Director, MRAI, Naresh Jain, President, The Employers Association, Rajasthan was the guest of honor.
The 9th AKAM Conference highlighted the key challenging issues including creating a level
playing field for the Secondary sector or Scrap sector, a Dedicated area /Recycling Zone for
the recycling sector in every state to promote recycling, Zero-duty on imports of scrap to
match global standards and reducing customs duty on import of Non-ferrous scrap to make
Industry viable and boost exports, Integrated Waste Recycling Park were the core issues.
Ritesh Maheshwari, Director, MRAI welcomed all the dignitaries and presented the theme of the conference. acknowledged the initiatives of the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Steel under the AKAM Conference have been very instrumental in the betterment of the Recycling Industry.
Dr Anupam Agnihotri, Director, JNARDDC also highlights the importance of Academia & industry connection, for instilling innovative solutions, to technical issues & challenges of
the metal recycling industry. He further highlighted about JNARDDC has created a Google
classroom, for Academia-Recycling Industry interaction.
Sanjay Mehta, President, MRAI highlighted the Government of India’s vision towards the Recycling Industry to avoid further global warming and climate change adverse impact and
acknowledge the Ministry of Steel and Ministry of Mines emphasis to minimize carbon emissions. He further acknowledges the government’s vision to educate and spread awareness of the importance of the recycling industry. He strongly recommended to the
government should procure a minimum of 50% of its requirements from products manufactured from recycled materials to boost the Secondary sector. He further added that the government should create a level playing field for the Secondary sector on par with the Primary sector. More importantly, he highlighted that the government should dedicate the area/recycling zone recycling sector in Every State to promote recycling and save our natural recycling.
While Navin Sharma, Director, MRAI also recommended various suggestion to the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Commerce and DGFT, Department of Economic Affairs,
and to GST Council Secretariat which includes:
Uniform taxation regime (Direct taxes) for the recycling/waste processing industry irrespective of waste stream.
Zero import duty on metal scrap and equipment used for environmentally sound recycling of wastes.
Higher drawback on secondary/recycled metal products.
Remove FTA on Finished Metal as it harms Recycling Industry due to inverted Duty structure.
To extend RoDTEP benefits on exports on the advance authorization of imported goods and SEZ exports.
To reduce metal scrap import, we suggest abolishing PSIC and installing scanners at various ICDs and ports.
Recycling sector should be considered under the Priority sector lending.
Inclusion of the waste recycling sector in the harmonized list of green investments.
Allow trading of Aluminium Alloy on MCX by adding Secondary Aluminium Alloy by DOEA under the commodity derivative contract list of items.
To promote the recycling industry, urge the government to reconsider the GST rate for scrap
from 18 % to 5 %.
Dr Vijay Singhal, Ex-Member Secretary of, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board recommended that Every state government should adopt the concept of an Integrated Waste Recycling Park (IWRP) in which recyclers of different waste streams are co-located in
a well-defined industrial zone and carry out the work of recycling.
“AKAM event has been an opportunity to meet the industry, envisage and create an action
plan with the large pool of information received here. This forum will work on the core issues and create a conducive ecosystem for the seamless functioning of the recycling industry” shared Mr. R P Gupta, Director, the Ministry of Mines. He further assured recycling
stakeholders will have a separate division under the Ministry of Mines to address the challenging issues raised during the AKAM campaign and formulate the policy guidelines
very soon.
While delivering the keynote address, Shri Sugriva Meena emphasized on Government’s achievement towards the Carbon Neutrality targets and how the recycling industry could
help to prevent environmental degradation. He addressed the various issues raised at the event related to Customs and Excise Duty and how the MOM is working with the Ministry of
Finance to resolve them and how his role would be to ensure the proper timely implementation of the laws of the Government favourably for the industry. He highlighted
the case of Bhushan Steel where the imported Scrap causing the Blast at the factory was the major reason for implementation of a Pre-shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC). While
responding to industry concerns about PSIC, he advised the industry to improve their internal controls such that the government is forced to remove the need for such ertificates. He then mentioned the new ICDs coming up in Bhilwara and one between Jaipur and Ajmer and advised that the new industries be set up in and around these places so that they find their transport and logistic requirements easy.
More than 200 delegates participated from various industry associations including Rajasthan
Steel Chambers, Indian Institute of Foundrymen Foundry Owners Association, Bagaru Industrial Association, Vishwakarma Industrial Association, and The Employers Association of Rajasthan. The 9th AKAM Conference was supported by Gravita India Ltd.
During this two-day campaign, we had plant visits for Government officials from the Ministry of Steel, Ministry of Mines and Engineering College Students at Ferrous and Non-
Ferrous plants Mangala Ispat, Rajputana Industries, Bright Metals, Gravita India and Ganganagar Vahan Udyog Pvt. Ltd.