NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have utilised close to Rs 150 crore of the funds allocated to the states for setting up different waste management projects under the Swachh Bharat Mission , according to Urban Development Ministry.Indian cities generate nearly 170 million tonnes of solid waste annually, and the projects undertaken by the two states are seen as a big step towards significantly addressing the waste management issue in the two states.Tamil Nadu has launched a waste-to-energy plant at Venkatamangalam, 20 km from Tambaram, Chennai. With an intake capacity of 300 metric tonnes per day, the Venkatamangalam plant can produce up to 20 MT of refuse-derived fuel per day, which they plan to sell to cement plants in the state.West Bengal, on the other hand, has allocated Rs 92 crore for setting up over 200 compactors across the state. State representatives confirmed that over 6000 MT per day of waste would be compacted through the compactors being set up.They plan to allocate a single compactor in smaller towns, while municipal corporations will be given two compactors each. Compactors help decrease transportation time and cost, making the overall solid waste management cycle cost effective.Welcoming the commencement of the two projects, Swachh Bharat Mission director Praveen Prakash said, "Solid Waste Management, which is adversely impacting cleanliness in urban areas, has been one of the most crucial factors for us while devising plans under Swachh Bharat."I want to congratulate Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on taking concrete steps for putting in the processes in place, which would result in waste being properly converted into reusable energy."Many other states are setting up similar projects in their respective states and I am certain we are moving in the right direction towards solving the Solid Waste menace in urban areas."The Centre has allocated Rs 37,000 crore of the Swachh Bharat project cost of Rs 62,009 crore towards solid waste management alone. This includes leveraging modern technologies for solid waste management, capacity augmentation of urban local bodies, involving private sector, and bring behavioral and social change to encourage residents to reduce /even clean their own waste."The mission targets the achievement by 2018-19 of scientific solid waste management in 4,041 cities and towns impacting 30.6 crore people.