LAHORE: The American business magazine Forbes has praised the Punjab government’s “Suthra Punjab” initiative, recognizing it as the world’s largest integrated waste management system. The report highlights that the government delivered a province-wide solution to long-standing waste challenges within just eight months.
According to Forbes, the Suthra Punjab program has transformed urban cleanliness across the province, with 50,000 tons of waste collected daily. The initiative has significantly reduced pollution levels, revitalized public spaces, and introduced regular waste collection services to millions of residents, many receiving such services for the first time.
The program has also generated over 100,000 jobs, contributing to both environmental improvement and economic uplift. Its international relevance was underscored at COP30, where it was presented as a model of “Integrated Waste and Climate Action,” offering a benchmark for other countries seeking sustainable, scalable waste management solutions.
Forbes notes that the success of Suthra Punjab is rooted in an innovative three-tier financing framework that blends public and private funding. The model includes modest user fees to promote community ownership, government seed grants for essential services such as street sweeping, and revenue streams unlocked through carbon credits and energy sales from waste-to-energy projects. All financial flows are routed through an escrow account managed by the waste authority to ensure full transparency.
Positioned as a learning opportunity for policymakers worldwide, the Suthra Punjab initiative demonstrates how coordinated financing, strategic planning, and community engagement can drive rapid environmental transformation.