Cabinet Approves ₹1,500 Cr Scheme to Build Recycling Infrastructure for Critical Minerals from E-Waste, Battery Scrap & End-of-Life Vehicles
The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme to promote the recycling of critical minerals in India, a move designed to strengthen domestic capacity and reduce reliance on imports. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to reports from PTI.
As per the Ministry of Mines, the scheme will focus on establishing advanced recycling infrastructure to extract and produce critical minerals from secondary sources such as e-waste, lithium-ion battery scrap, and catalytic converters from end-of-life vehicles.
This initiative is part of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which had earlier been cleared with an outlay of ₹16,300 crore, with a total expenditure of ₹4,300 crore spread over seven years. The larger mission is aimed at securing India’s mineral supply chains essential for clean energy technologies, electric mobility, and advanced manufacturing.
By incentivising recycling, the government seeks to:
- Reduce India’s vulnerability to global supply disruptions
- Enhance resource efficiency
- Support the country’s green energy transition
- The scheme is seen as a crucial step in advancing India’s commitment to sustainable energy, EV adoption, and self-reliance in critical mineral resources.
