Nagpur, India: Nagpur, the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has been dealt a major blow. Under the Swachh Maharashtra Abhiyan (Urban) 2.0, the city’s ₹224 crore solid waste management plan has been reduced to a mere ₹16.54 crore — a massive 92.6% cut.

The original proposal aimed to build a 940-tonne-per-day (TPD) bio-gas plant worth ₹169.2 crore and a 520 TPD Material Recovery Facility (MRF) costing ₹44.2 crore. Both key projects have now been scrapped. What remains are just three waste transfer stations (₹4.8 crore) and a 150 TPD scientific landfill (₹11.74 crore) — hardly enough for a city battling a growing waste crisis.

In contrast, cities like Mumbai and Pune have received full approval for their waste projects, including modern bio-gas and MRF systems. This has raised strong concerns about political favouritism and regional bias, especially as Nagpur is the CM’s own constituency.

The reduced ₹16.54 crore will be shared between the Centre, State, and the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). However, if costs go up, NMC will have to cover the extra amount. If there are savings, they must be returned to the government — giving the city little room to manage the project effectively.

For a city that was promised top-level development, this deep cut feels more like a betrayal than a budget revision. Nagpurians expected a cleaner, better-managed city. Instead, they are left with a downgraded plan and growing frustration.

Is this simply a case of limited funds, or is Nagpur being sidelined despite its political importance? The questions remain — and so does the garbage.