The Government of West Bengal (GoWB) expressed their interest to develop a model regional waste management system as a result of JBIC Pilot Study conducted in 2003, given the fact that adequate solid waste management system was virtually non-existent in any municipalities in India in spite of legal requirement stipulated in the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules (2000) (MSW Rules). The Government of West Bengal and Government of India put high priority on the Project as a model and requested for the Japanese ODA loan in April 2005. Taking account of the high priority to the Project, the Japanese government provided technical assistance in form of SAPROF (Special Assistance for Project Formation) to assist GoWB and the KMDA to formulate a credible proposal for the Project. The findings of SAPROF helped in confirming the urgent necessity of the Project and subsequently the loan agreement for the project was signed in April 2006. In addition Government of West Bengal provided the assurance of adopting all necessary measures to secure the funds required for smooth implementation of the project and thereby prevent any delay in project implementation due to insufficient budgetary appropriation on the project cost for items not covered by the ODA Loan.

KMDA is the executing agency (nodal agency) for KSWMIP and will be responsible for execution of the project as a whole. It will play a pro-active role and interact closely with the Project Management Consultants, the Municipalities and other stakeholders to attain the objectives of the project. In this regard, KMDA has already established a Project Management Unit (PMU), headed by Secretary, which assumes full responsibility of implementing the Project. KMDA has also established a Social Development Group under PMU for effective and efficient implementation of public awareness and environmental education program and rag-pickers livelihood improvement program.

The six municipalities are important stakeholders in the project. The responsibility for implementation and successful completion of the project would rest to a great extent with these municipalities. Space requirement for construction of the transfer station and the compost plant and the secondary collection points would be made available by the municipality. The project would assist in construction of the facilities and making equipments available but manpower requirement for collection of the segregated waste would be provided by the municipalities. The municipalities also appreciate that social mobilization would play a key role in the effective segregation of the waste thus along with the PMC, each municipality would play an effective role in ensuring the participation of the people.

Name of Municipality	Population (Census 2001)	Area (sq. km.)	Density / sq. km.
Uttarpara-Kotrung	150204	16.34	9192
Konnagar	72211	4.42	16337
Rishra	113259	6.48	17478
Serampore	197955	5.88	33666
Baidyabati	108231	6.19	17485
Champdani	103232	6.47	15955