Swachh Survey 2024–25: Cities That Sparkled the Most Receive Awards from President Murmu
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): President Draupadi Murmu will present the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards for Urban Sanitation at a national function organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday. Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 is the world's largest urban sanitation survey and a key part of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U). The function will announce the cleanest cities in India and honour outstanding efforts of urban local bodies.
This year's awards will be given in four main categories, including Super Swachh League (SSL) cities, top three clean cities in five different population categories, special categories like Ganga Town, Cantonment Board, Safaimitra Suraksha and Maha Kumbh, and State Level Awards for emerging clean cities of States/UTs. A total of 78 awards will be given during the ceremony.
The Swachh Survey started in 2016 with only 73 urban local bodies. However, now the survey has covered more than 4,500 cities. According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the 2024-25 edition will carry forward this legacy and focuses on the theme 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle'.
More than 3,000 trained assessors have inspected every ward in the country for 45 days. According to the ministry, the specialty of this year's survey was its inclusiveness and comprehensiveness. More than 11 lakh households were surveyed and 14 crore citizens reached record participation through face-to-face interactions, Swachhata App, MyGov, and various social media platforms.
Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 adopts a structured, technology-driven methodology based on 10 parameters and 54 indicators that provide a comprehensive picture of cleanliness and waste management in urban India. The ministry also informed that this year's highlight is the introduction of the Super Swachh League, which recognises cities that have consistently demonstrated excellence in cleanliness. The Super Swachh League features cities that have been in the top three at least once in the last three years and are in the top 20 per cent in their population category this year. The league aims to reward consistency and inspire other cities to perform better.
For the first time, cities have been classified into five population-based categories for more fair assessment, including very small cities (population less than 20,000), small cities (20,000-50,000), medium cities (50,000-3 lakh), large cities (3-10 lakh), and cities with population more than one million. Each category has been evaluated based on criteria commensurate with its size and needs so that even smaller cities can compete fairly and be recognised for their progress. Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 is an inspiration for India's urban transformation, promoting behaviour change and rewarding excellence, as well as encouraging collective civic pride across the country.