Himachal: Government to purchase 800 e-rickshaws for door-to-door garbage collection

October 9, 2025

To further strengthen rural sanitation, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to purchase 800 e-rickshaws for door-to-door garbage collection in 800 gram panchayats in the state’s plain areas under the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).

This ambitious scheme is being implemented by the Rural Development Department. The State Electronics Corporation is completing the procurement process for the e-rickshaws for the department. This door-to-door garbage collection service will be launched in the rural districts from the new year. Initially, each panchayat will be provided with an e-rickshaw, which will collect separate wet and dry waste from homes and shops.

Organic Compost will be made 

The objective of this initiative is to institutionalize solid waste management in rural areas. The collected wet waste will be processed into composting units to be set up at the panchayat level to produce organic fertilizer (compost). The sale of this compost will also provide additional financial benefits to the panchayats.

The dry waste will be sorted and sent to recycling units. In this context, this scheme will not only increase cleanliness but also create a new source of income for the Panchayats. Director of the Rural Development Department, Raghav Sharma, stated that the state government’s decision to use e-rickshaws was made with environmental protection in mind.

Noise and air pollution will be controlled.
The use of battery-powered rickshaws instead of petrol or diesel vehicles will reduce carbon emissions and control noise and air pollution in rural areas. This scheme will also provide employment opportunities to local youth and women’s groups.

Panchayats will operate these vehicles through self-help groups or local youth. This will not only create employment at the village level but will also strengthen rural self-reliance. He stated that this scheme will be expanded to other areas in the future. The government aims to establish door-to-door waste collection systems in all gram panchayats of the state by 2026.