Page 43 - Digital India Awards 2022 - Compendium

Digital Initiatives in Collaboration with Startups

Digital Deposit Refund System

(Uttarakhand)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.recykal.drs

Project Team
Initiative Lead: Members:
Mayur Dixit Jitendra Verma Srikrishna B Umesh Anudhekar
District Magistrate, SDM Ukhimath, Director Sustainability, Director Operation,
Rudraprayag Revenue Department Recykal Recykal

The District administration of Kedarnath, in partnership with
Recykal, initiated a scheme ‘Digital Deposit Refund System’ in
April 2022 to create a digitally enabled behavioural change
scheme for pilgrims undertaking yatra. The scheme also
envisaged in the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.

In a DRS system, consumers buy products and pay an
additional amount (not a tax) which is refunded when the
consumer returns the empty packaging (bottle, sachet,
chips packets, etc) to a collection point.

In a DDRS, consumer buys a product packed in plastic material, which has a QR
code sticker on it, after paying amount for QR code:

Case 1: if consumer returns the plastic waste, after consuming product, consumer gets “Refund” of additional
amount paid earlier

Case 2: If consumer does not return the plastic after consuming product, the amount is refunded to person
“whomsoever” brings that plastic back to our refund center, thus creating “Reward” for picking plastic
Case 3: if plastic does not return to system and litters around then on basis of “polluter pay principle” that
corpus comes with “project management committee” and amount is used for special cleaning drives

Impact of Digital DRS in Kedarnath:

High social acceptance of scheme including key stakeholders such as mandir pandits, pilgrims, pittuwalas,
shopkeepers, municipal staff, sanitation workers, etc. reduced littering

87,700 QR codes bought by shopkeepers, 25 local jobs created
1200 kg legacy waste collected and recycled
Enabling ecosystem for technology startup to thrive in Rudraprayag district

546 Shops, 334 Hotels and 97 hotels already covered and further expanding to newer areas in Rudraprayag
Additional funding to clean littered areas through unredeemed deposits

21,805 bottles collected and now channelized to recyclers to create a circular economy from waste in Kedarnath