PM Modi Praises Ambikapur’s ‘Garbage Café’ Turning Plastic Waste Into Meals

In the 127th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted an innovative initiative in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, that tackles urban waste and food insecurity.

The Garbage Café in the city centre lets residents exchange plastic waste for wholesome meals. Instead of paying with money, visitors bring items like carrier bags, food wrappers, and water bottles.

“In exchange for one kilogram of plastic, you can enjoy a full lunch or dinner; for half a kilogram, breakfast is served,” the Prime Minister said, praising the Ambikapur Municipal Corporation (AMC) for the idea.

The café serves rice, two vegetable curries, dal, roti, salad, and pickles for lunch and dinner. Breakfast includes street foods such as samosas and vada pav. Launched in 2019 under the slogan “More the waste, better the taste”, AMC funds the café through its sanitation budget. It sits near the city’s main bus stand.

The initiative addresses two challenges: plastic pollution and urban hunger. Residents, including ragpickers and low-income individuals, collect plastic waste and receive meals in return. This system nourishes people and keeps the city clean.

The café feeds a modest but meaningful number of people daily. It shows how a simple idea can solve multiple social problems. It also builds civic pride and promotes sustainable habits.

Prime Minister Modi called the initiative an example of ingenuity and compassion. “Ambikapur’s Garbage Café proves that sustainable solutions can come from pressing urban problems,” he said.

By turning waste into meals, the café offers hope for cities battling pollution and hunger. Ambikapur’s experiment demonstrates that local, creative solutions can benefit both society and the environment.

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