LAHORE: Under the Chief Minister’s Green Credits Programme, the Punjab government has started installing plastic vending machines in Lahore to encourage recycling of single-use plastic bottles.
According to a newspaper report, People will get Rs1,000 cash in return for depositing either 20 bottles of 1.5 liters or 40 bottles of half-liter size in these machines.
The Punjab government has signed an agreement with a private company to run this project. The company, using Chinese technology, will install the machines in four major universities of Lahore next month. These machines will also be set up in markets and shopping areas across the city.
Each vending machine will have two buttons. To use it, press button A and insert the plastic bottle. Then, enter your mobile number and press button B. The machine will display your Green Credits on the screen. These credits can also be tracked through a mobile app.
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According to company chairman Gulfam Abid, Lahore produces around 500 tons of plastic bottle waste daily.
The machines will help recycle plastic bottles and single-use plastic items like cups and plates, recycled material will be used to make pavement blocks, road patchwork, and bricks.
Gulfam Abid said users will instantly receive Rs1,000 in cash for inserting the required number of bottles.
Cash for Plastic Bottles – CM Green Credits Programme Highlights
| CM’s Green Credits Programme | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Rs1,000 Cash for Recycled Bottles | Get Rs1,000 for 20 (1.5L) or 40 (0.5L) plastic bottles. |
| Vending Machines in Lahore | Installed in 4 universities, markets, and shopping areas. |
| Simple Bottle Deposit Process | Insert bottle → Enter phone number → Earn Green Credits. |
| Use of Recycled Plastic | To make roads, footpaths, and eco-friendly bricks. |
| Benefits for Scrap Collectors | 18,000 kabariyas to earn cash via direct collection through mobile app. |
Not only regular citizens, but over 18,000 scrap collectors in Lahore will also benefit from the programme. They can use the app to contact the company, whose staff will collect the bottles from them and pay them directly.
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This initiative is an important step towards environmental protection. It will also create a new income source for both citizens and scrap collectors while helping to raise awareness and convert plastic waste into useful products.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also launched the Green Tractor Scheme after 12 years to support farmers across the province. In the scheme’s digital balloting, 1,000 green tractors will be given free of cost to wheat farmers through a lucky draw.
During the ceremony, Muhammad Yaseen from Okara became the first farmer to win a tractor. Talib Hussain from Chakwal came second, while Ghulam Akbar from Dera Ghazi Khan was third.
CM Maryam Nawaz congratulated the winning farmers and said the government wants to introduce modern farming tools in Punjab. Farmers owning between 25 to 50 acres of wheat land will be given 1,000 free green tractors to support agriculture mechanization in the province.
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