Syllabus: Governance
Source: PIB
Context: Ahmedabad emerged as the cleanest big city in the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25. The awards were conferred by President Droupadi Murmu during a national felicitation event.
About Swachh Survekshan 2024–25:
- Conducted by: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
- Objective: Promote competitive spirit among cities for cleanliness and sanitation.
- Framework: Based on “One City, One Award” and includes parameters like GFC star rating, source segregation, toilet access, and beautification.
- Participation: 4,500+ cities, 14 crore citizens engaged via face-to-face, apps, and digital platforms.
- New Additions: “Super Swachh League” and revamped categorization across five population segments.
Winners 2024–25:
- Cleanest Big Cities (10 lakh+): Ahmedabad (1st), Bhopal (2nd), Lucknow (3rd).
- 3–10 Lakh Category: Mira-Bhayandar (1st), Bilaspur (2nd), Jamshedpur (3rd).
- Best Ganga Town: Prayagraj.
- Best Cantonment Board: Secunderabad Cantonment.
- SaifaiMitra Surakshit Shehar (Sanitation Worker Safety): Visakhapatnam, Jabalpur, Gorakhpur.
- Super Swachh League Inductees (23 cities): Indore, Surat, Navi Mumbai, Vijayawada, Chandigarh, Mysore, etc.
About Super Swachh League (SSL):
- What It Is?
- The Super Swachh League is a new category introduced in Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 to honour cities showing sustained excellence in urban sanitation and cleanliness over multiple years.
- Objective: To create a premier league of consistently high-performing cities across population brackets, promoting competitive excellence and peer benchmarking.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- Cities must have a minimum Garbage Free City (GFC) star rating, ideally 3-star or above.
- Must consistently rank high in Swachh Survekshan across key parameters like door-to-door waste collection, source segregation, ODF++ status, and citizen engagement.
- Population-based segmentation:
- Above 10 lakhs (e.g., Ahmedabad, Indore, Surat).
- 3–10 lakh (e.g., Noida, Chandigarh, Mysuru).
- Below 3 lakh and below 1 lakh (with defined benchmarks).
Key Trends Highlighted:
- Rise of Mid-Tier Cities: Cities like Bilaspur and Jamshedpur are outperforming major metros in sanitation metrics, showing decentralised progress.
- 3R Push (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle): The survey promoted 3R as a guiding principle, integrating sustainability into everyday urban behaviour.
- Scientific Waste Management: 12 cities earned 7-star and 22 cities secured 5-star Garbage Free City certifications, reflecting improved waste processing.
- Inclusivity for Small Cities: Revised scoring methods enabled towns with populations below 1 lakh to compete fairly with big cities.
- Public Engagement: Over 14 crore citizens participated via surveys, apps, and community events—an all-time high.
Best Practices Recognized:
- Waste-to-Wealth Innovations: Artistic tokens made from recycled waste were gifted to dignitaries, symbolising creative reuse
- Peer Mentorship Model: Top 78 cities will each mentor one underperforming city under the “Each One Clean One” initiative.
- Dumpsite Remediation Drive: A focused 1-year campaign starting Aug 15, 2025, will clean up legacy waste and reclaim urban land.
- Clean Kumbh Management: Prayagraj efficiently managed sanitation for 66 crore devotees at the Maha Kumbh, showcasing mega-event waste planning.
- Sanitation Worker Safety: Cities like Gorakhpur, Jabalpur, and Visakhapatnam were honoured for ensuring dignity and safety for Safai Mitras.
Significance:
- Urban Transformation: Survey results indicate a shift in citizens’ mindset—from compliance to commitment toward cleanliness.
- Youth & Job Creation: The focus on circular economy has led to startups, SHG enterprises, and green employment in waste management.
- Benchmarking Tool: The survey serves as a performance mirror, pushing cities to improve service delivery and adopt innovation.
- Viksit Bharat 2047 Vision: Clean cities are critical to the broader goal of a developed India by 2047.
- Women & SHG Engagement: Women-led groups and school campaigns are playing key roles in zero-waste and segregation drives.
Conclusion:
Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 showcases India’s urban sanitation shift from compliance to commitment. It celebrates city-level innovation, grassroots participation, and national resolve for a cleaner, sustainable future. Cleanliness is no longer a mission — it is becoming civic culture.
