Utensil Bank Scheme

• 16 Apr 2025

Why in News? 

On 12th April 2025, the State Education and Panchayati Raj Minister launched the Bartan Bank Scheme to make Baran district of Rajasthan plastic free. 

Key Points 

• This scheme is launched with the aim of reducing the use of plastic and promoting environmental protection especially in rural areas. 
• Under the scheme, utensils sets will be available on rent for Rs 3 , which can be used for weddings and other social events. 
  • Initially 24 Gram Panchayats have been included and in future utensils banks will be established in all the Gram Panchayats. 
• The name of the Gram Panchayat and 'Swachh Bharat Mission' will be inscribed on each utensil.  
• Special categories, such as Below Poverty Line (BPL), SC,ST, and Divyangjan will get a 50% discount in fare. 
• The maintenance of the utensils will be the responsibility of self-help groups and the operation will be done through Rajivika. 
  • Rajivika is a program under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which focuses on empowering women in rural areas through self-help groups (SHGs) and other livelihood initiatives. 
• For the scheme, the state government has decided to provide an amount of Rs 1 lakh to each Gram Panchayat. 
  

Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 

• This is a massive people's movement whose aim was to create a clean India by the year 2019.Mahatma Gandhi always emphasized on cleanliness because it opens the way to a healthy and prosperous life. 
• Keeping this in mind, the Government of India laid the foundation of the Swachh Bharat Mission on 2 October 2014 (Gandhi Jayanti). This mission covers all rural and urban areas. 
• The urban component of this mission is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the rural component is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.