On the occasion of Earth Day, Kia India launched Phase III of its CSR initiative, Project D.R.O.P (Develop Responsible Outlook for Plastic), in partnership with the Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA). The program, which began in 2023, aims to promote more responsible plastic waste management and enhance community participation in sustainable practices.
The virtual launch event included participation from Shri Tokhan Sahu, Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Hardeep S. Brar, Senior Vice President and National Head of Sales and Marketing at Kia India, and Shri Vishal Kumar, Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram.
Project D.R.O.P is designed to encourage behavioral change around plastic waste by promoting segregation at the source, recycling, and material recovery. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with IPCA across eight major Indian cities.
Shri Tokhan Sahu emphasized the need for local and community-focused strategies to support India’s Zero Waste goals. Brar outlined the project's impact so far, including the setup of a waste recovery center in Bhondsi and a recycling unit in Noida. He added that the initiative has also helped create employment opportunities and has assisted municipal bodies in managing plastic waste.
Shri Vishal Kumar highlighted the project’s role in engaging the residents of Gurugram, especially young people, in efforts toward sustainability. He noted that by encouraging awareness and community participation, the initiative aims to support lasting environmental practices.
Since its inception, Project D.R.O.P has engaged approximately 1.5 million individuals. It has covered 66% of residential welfare associations, 21% of educational institutions, and 13% of commercial complexes out of the 789 facilities targeted.
In Phase III, the project will expand to Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Zirakpur, in addition to its current operations in Gurugram, Mumbai, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, and Vizag. The initiative will now include 1,100 facilities with a goal to collect 7,000 tons of plastic waste in 2025.
Kia India began operations in 2019 with a manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, with an annual production capacity of 300,000 units. The company has launched five models in India and has dispatched nearly 1.6 million vehicles to date. Kia India operates a network of 700 touchpoints across 300 cities and has over 450,000 connected vehicles on Indian roads.