"Matter of pride": Officials after Ambikapur's Garbage Cafe praised by PM Modi in Mann ki Baat

Surguja (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 26 (ANI): Officials of Ambikapur on Sunday said it is a matter of pride that the city's first Garbage Cafe, which exchanges plastic waste for meals, has received recognition after being praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' program.
Ambikapur Mayor Manjusha Bhagat thanked Prime Minister for bringing the city's Garbage Cafe to national and international recognition.

Speaking to ANI, Manjusha Bhagat said, "It (Garbage Cafe) operates in a very beautiful way. It started on 9 October 2019, and it was Chhattisgarh's first garbage cafe... It requires further expansion. Today, PM Modi praised it in 'Mann Ki Baat.' I also thank PM Modi for bringing it to national and international recognition..."
Nodal Officer of Swachh Bharat Mission Urban, Ambikapur, Ritesh Saini, said the Garbage Cafe, started in 2019, allows residents to exchange plastic waste for meals, promoting effective recycling.

"In 2019, we started a garbage cafe in Ambikapur, with the main aim of effectively collecting plastic waste for easy recycling... The Garbage Cafe is located near the new Ambikapur bus stand... Nearby, we also have our SLRM centre where people submit plastic waste. After submitting, they are given tokens. If people give 1 kg of plastic, they receive a token for a full meal; if they give 0.5 kg, they receive a breakfast token. When people submit these tokens at the cafe, they receive food. Since 2015, Ambikapur Municipal Corporation has been working on waste management," Saini said.
Cafe Manager Vinod Patel said that the recognition is expected to attract more visitors and increase plastic collection.

"The Municipal Corporation has been giving me this to operate since 2019. There is a token-based SLRM centre where people drop off their plastic waste and receive tokens in return. They then take those tokens to the garbage cafe, where they're given food in exchange for their tokens... It's a matter of pride for our Chhattisgarh and Ambikapur that the Prime Minister has praised our city. Because of what PM Modi has said, people will now come here to eat, bringing more plastic and plastic waste with them," Patel said.
Swacchta Didi Gyanlata Kujur said, "People who collect garbage around the city leave it here at the centre... Then we weigh it... After receiving a token, people go to the Garbage Cafe to get a meal. Every day, 7 to 10 people come here... Since the Garbage Cafe opened, we feel that everyone finds everything very clean."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the 127th episode of Mann Ki Baat, mentioned the 'Garbage Cafe' run by the Ambikapur Municipal Corporation.
"In Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, Garbage Cafes are being run. These are cafes where you get a full meal in exchange for plastic waste. If someone brings over 1 kilogram of plastic, they are provided with either lunch or dinner, and in place of 0.5 kilogram of plastic, they get breakfast. These cafes are run by the Ambikapur Municipal Corporation," PM Modi said, appreciating the initiative for converting waste into nourishment while promoting cleanliness.
Mann Ki Baat is Prime Minister Modi's monthly radio programme in which he discusses important national issues with the citizens of India. The programme is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month. Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat aims to connect with various segments of Indian society, encompassing women, the elderly, and the youth. (ANI)