SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has constituted a high-level multi-departmental task force to oversee the utilisation of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) across the Union Territory in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
The task force has been constituted through a government order issued on July 16, 2026, under the orders of the Lieutenant Governor. It has been tasked with preparing a framework for the utilisation of municipal waste as an alternative fuel source and facilitating the implementation of waste-to-energy initiatives in the industrial sector.
According to the order, the committee will be chaired by the Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department. Its members include the Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, the Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee, the Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0, the Commissioners of the Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations, the Directors of Urban Local Bodies for both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, the Member Secretary of the JK Pollution Control Committee, and representatives of the Cement Manufacturing Association.
The terms of reference require the task force to prepare a time-bound plan for implementing the RDF model. Under Rule 11 of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, industries are required to source at least six per cent of their fuel requirement from RDF with effect from April 1, 2026. The prescribed target will increase to 10 per cent after three years and 15 per cent after six years.
The committee will also identify and map the RDF generation potential at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) across the Union Territory, particularly focusing on non-recyclable, high-calorific waste suitable for conversion into fuel.
In addition, the task force has been assigned to ensure compliance with prescribed RDF quality standards, establish a Centralised Online Portal for tracking the processing and transportation of RDF, and conduct quarterly audits to monitor implementation.
The order further authorises the committee to recommend RDF pricing linked to calorific value, develop transportation cost-sharing mechanisms between municipal bodies and cement plants, facilitate land allocation at Material Recovery Facilities, and recommend financial assistance under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
The Chairperson has also been empowered to constitute sub-committees or district-level cells for effective implementation across the Union Territory.
