DRS Preparations in full swing: Over 100 Reverse Vending Machines Already Installed as State Heads Towards September 1 Rollout

~ 150 Panchayats and 8 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Goa have issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs), further re-instating confidence on the scheme

~ 69 machines in North Goa and 31 machines in South Goa have already been installed.

Panaji, July  2026: With September 1 approaching as the rollout date for the Goa Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS), the state’s on-ground infrastructure and civic groundwork are falling into place well ahead of schedule, positioning Goa among the first states in India to operationalise a container deposit system at this scale.

As part of the ongoing rollout of the Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS), Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) have been installed at several key locations across Goa. The latest installations include Candolim Bandh, Sakhali Fort, Anjuna Village Panchayat, Morjim Village Panchayat, Vishal Mega Mart in Chicalim, Agonda Village Panchayat, Cola Village Panchayat, near Mangeshi Temple at Veling Priol, Bogmalo Beach, and Salvador-do-Mundo Village Panchayat. With these additions, a total of 100 RVMs have been installed across the state, comprising 69 machines in North Goa and 31 machines in South Goa, strengthening the infrastructure ahead of the scheme’s rollout.

These Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) form the backbone of a collection network that enables consumers to return empty bottles and cans and recover their deposit instantly. Machines are being rolled out progressively across public areas and high-footfall community spaces, with each activation paired with on-ground awareness drives to familiarise residents and tourists with the mechanics of the scheme.

The Scheme has also secured strong local governance backing: 150 Panchayats and 8 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Goa have issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs), clearing the way for RVM placement and collection operations within their jurisdictions- a degree of grassroots administrative alignment achieved well ahead of launch.

Panchayat leaders bringing the Scheme into their villages say the shift in interest is already visible on the ground.

“This is a great initiative by the Government of Goa. The Deposit Refund Scheme will encourage people to return used glass bottles, plastic bottles, and cans for recycling while receiving a refund. Similar systems have worked well in other countries.  This scheme will help us reduce that waste and we hope that this system works great. I ask the general public to take full advantage of this scheme. You will get a refund and this place will remain clean. We need to support our government scheme and we need to collectively make the best of it,” said Nagoa-Verna village panchayat sarpanch Gabriel Fernandes.

Lorena Cunha, Deputy Sarpanch of the Chiclona-Bogmalo village panchayat lauded the DRS initiative, saying it is a “good initiative”, since the state is a tourist destination. She said, “The Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) is an excellent government initiative, especially for a tourist destination like Goa. It encourages people to return glass and plastic bottles instead of littering them on roadsides and open spaces. The DRS machine was installed at Bogmalo Beach recently, because of which, our Bogmalo beach and the surrounding areas will remain neat and clean.”

At Verna, Deputy Sarpanch Marcelinho Marcos Faria, said that the RVM has been installed behind the panchayat building to make returning waste convenient for the people. “We have installed this machine so that people can take advantage of this machine. We should do anything we can and use this (RVM) to reduce waste. I’m requesting the Verna people to make use of this machine,” Faria said.

Dr Anthony de Sa, Chairman of the Goa DRS Authority, said the pace of readiness reflected the scale of coordination behind the programme.

“What we are seeing today is the result of sustained coordination between the Authority, local governance bodies and industry. With our collection network in place and Panchayats and ULBs firmly on board, Goa is on track to set a benchmark for how a state can operationalise a deposit refund system at speed and at scale,” said Dr Anthony de Sa, Chairman of the DRS Authority.

The industry response has been equally strong. Close to 1,000 hotels, restaurants and major AlcoBev firms across Goa have been onboarded to the Scheme, extending the deposit-refund loop across the state’s hospitality and retail backbone well ahead of the September 1 launch.

Goa DRS continues to conduct demonstrations, stakeholder engagement sessions and public awareness campaigns across the state ahead of the Scheme’s formal rollout, helping consumers, businesses and tourism stakeholders prepare for a smooth transition.

Photo: New DRS Return & Refund Point Established at Verla Canca, Bardez