Union Minister Bhupender Yadav Praises Husnabad’s ‘Steel Bank’ Initiative

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has appreciated Telangana Minister and Husnabad MLA Ponnam Prabhakar’s initiative to establish a ‘Steel Bank’ to reduce single-use plastic consumption in the constituency. In a letter to Ponnam Prabhakar, the Union Minister said the proposal to provide complete sets of stainless-steel utensils for weddings, celebrations and other community events in rural areas could help reduce plastic use and waste at the grassroots level. The initiative aims to encourage the repeated use of steel utensils as an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable plastic products.

Bhupender Yadav also outlined several measures being undertaken by the Central Government to tackle plastic pollution. These include a ban on identified single-use plastic items that have a high pollution potential and low utility, the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging, the promotion of reuse and the adoption of eco-friendly alternatives. He noted that a compendium of manufacturers and sellers of alternatives to single-use plastic was released by the Union Environment Ministry on World Environment Day 2025 and is available on the Central Pollution Control Board’s website. The minister emphasised that coordinated efforts by the Centre, state governments, local bodies and citizens are essential to reduce single-use plastic pollution effectively and sustainably.