thiruvananthapuram conceived as a new business model for startup entrepreneurs in waste management including electronic waste repair recycling and reuse swap shop is planned for launch soon by suchitwa mission at 93 places across kerala a concept that is in vogue in the us and europe swap shop is a simple public platform or outlet where reusable products that are not of use for one individual family can be conserved and given to another or exchanged to implement the project it also plans to associate itself with the largest kudumbashree women network in the stateyou could be sitting on plenty of clutter which is of no use to oneself but can be for another that dress from last summer that does not fit you anymore your replaced old mobile phone or even toys which you want to give away can reach the right individual through a swap shop it is a concept that is popular in the us and europe but yet to catch up in kerala though introduced on a pilot basis in five municipalities across the state suchitwa mission executive director dr k vasuki told toithough a potential ecofriendly business model for entrepreneurs in the reuse recycle and to reduce the waste generated developing free synergy between the repair and recycling industry it is yet to sink in kerala as a viable project we would definitely look forward to associate with kudumbashree with its large network of women to implement the project in a big way vasuki saidswap shop is a step ahead in the waste management hierarchy which aims at reuse after the launch of the green protocol which aims to reduce waste if an umbrella is torn out or fails to open up it could be darned repaired and reused or handed over free to the one in need instead of dumping it or piling it up as garbage waste she saysswap shop will be an open platform for the public like a barter system or a free exchange that builds up social relationship the pilot project of swap shop was introduced on a day on dec 8 at some urban local bodies ulbs in ernakulam alappuzha thrissur and idukki the ulbs plan to introduce it in a couple of panchayats and a block in malappuram in a week and at thariode gram panchayat in wayanad by this month itselfit is planned to make swap shop a permanent mechanism and the project is planned for launch in 93 ulbs or places across the state in a year target is to ensure that at least 50 percent of usbs set a model swap shop by next year and the response from usbs is tremendous suchitwa mission will act as facilitator offering technical support and 50 percent subsidy to usbs in implementing the project vasuki said as per the union government sanitation is a core function of the local bodies and it has earmarked minimum 10 percent of its plan funds for sanitation