PRESIDENT OF INDIA PRESENTS SWACHH SURVEKSHAN AWARDS: Bhubaneswar has been ranked among the Top 10 cleanest cities

Newdelhi: (July 17, 2025)The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, presented Swachh Survekshan awards at a function organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in New Delhi today.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Swachh Survekshan has proven to be a successful experiment in assessing and encouraging the efforts made by our cities towards cleanliness. She was pleased to note that the world’s largest cleanliness survey was conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for the year 2024, with participation from various stakeholders, state governments, urban bodies, and approximately 14 crore citizens.

The President said that our cultural and spiritual consciousness has emphasized cleanliness since ancient times. The tradition of keeping our homes, places of worship, and the surroundings clean was an integral part of our lifestyle. Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi used to say, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”. He considered cleanliness as the cornerstone of religion, spirituality, and civic life. She said that she had started her journey of public service with work related to cleanliness. As the Vice President of the Notified Area Council, she used to visit wards every day and supervise the cleanliness work.

Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai have once again secured the top spots in urban sanitation, emerging as the cleanest cities in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 rankings. The three cities were ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in the newly introduced “Super Swachh League,” which recognises sustained excellence in cleanliness. Vijayawada followed closely, securing the fourth position.

Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow were declared the new generation of top clean cities, emerging as India’s leading Swachh Shehars. In total, 78 awards were presented, recognising cities, cantonments, and institutions for their exemplary performance across a range of sanitation parameters.

Prayagraj was honoured as the Best Ganga Town, while Secunderabad Cantonment Board was awarded for its strong sanitation efforts. Visakhapatnam, Jabalpur, and Gorakhpur received recognition as the Best SafaiMitra Surakshit Shehars for prioritising the safety, dignity, and welfare of sanitation workers. A special award was conferred upon the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the Prayagraj Mela Adhikari, and the Municipal Corporation of Prayagraj for successfully managing urban waste during the Mahakumbh, which saw a record footfall of approximately 66 crore people.

This year’s Swachh Survekshan introduced a simplified and inclusive assessment framework, enabling smaller cities to compete on equal footing with larger counterparts under the principle of “One City, One Award.” As a result, 34 cities from various States and Union Territories were declared Promising Swachh Shehars for their notable progress in sanitation and urban cleanliness.

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal launched the Swachh City Partnership initiative, a unique mentorship programme where 78 top-performing cities will each adopt and mentor one underperforming city from their respective states. “Zaroorat hai sabko saath lekar chalne ki,” he said, calling on cities to embrace the spirit of “Each One Clean One.”

He also announced the Accelerated Dumpsite Remediation Programme, set to begin on August 15. The year-long initiative aims to clear legacy waste, unlock valuable urban land, and boost scientific waste processing capacities across cities.

MoHUA Secretary Srinivas Katikithala reflected on the transformative decade of the Swachh Bharat Mission and called for long-term planning to align with India’s vision for Viksit Bharat 2047. He emphasised the role of the newly revamped survey framework—featuring 10 new parameters and five distinct population categories—in making the competition more inclusive and performance-driven.

As a token of appreciation, President Murmu was presented with a handcrafted sarangi made from discarded materials, symbolising the mission’s waste-to-wealth philosophy. The event also saw the digital launch of the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 Results Dashboard, providing an interactive overview of city rankings, achievements, and key performance indicators.

Check out the winners list, GFC & ODF results dashboard here.
https://ss2024.sbmurban.org/#/home