Port city Surat bags top honours alongside Indore in cleanest city award

Cities like Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi, Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, Greater Hyderabad in Telangana and Pune in Maharashtra have been adjudged as the top 10 cleanest city in India in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023 in the more than 1 lakh population category.

New Delhi: Gujarat’s Surat on Thursday joined Madhya Pradesh’s Indore in the league of “Cleanest City” in the Swach Survekshan as announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). “Port city Surat bagged the top honours, alongside Indore, who had conquered the top spot alone for 6 consecutive years,” the ministry said.

The Housing Ministry felicitated the winners of the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023 in New Delhi. Cities like Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi, Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, Greater Hyderabad in Telangana and Pune in Maharashtra have been adjudged as the top 10 cleanest city in India in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023 in the more than 1 lakh population category.

In the category of cities with a population of less than 1 lakh, Sasvad, Patan and Lonavala secured the top three spots. Mhow Cantonment Board in Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the Cleanest Cantonment Board. Varanasi and Prayagraj won the top two awards amongst the Cleanest Ganga Towns. Similarly, Maharashtra with its 411 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) ranked 1st in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023 followed by Madhya Pradesh with 378 ULBs, Chhattisgarh with 169 ULBs, Odisha with 114 ULBs, and Telangana with 142 ULBs have been included in the list of top five States of Swachh Survekshan.

Chandigarh walked away with the award for the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher. 110 awards were bestowed during the ceremony. President Droupadi Murmu conferred Swachh Survekshan awards 2023. “When everyone contributes to and participates in Swachh Survekshan, it’s an important step forward. The theme for the year 2023 “Waste to Wealth” is an important topic to ponder upon. I would like to say that wealth should be created out of waste as that will help the overall cleanliness. Cleanliness has to be a divine process. The G20 Leaders’ Delhi Declaration has committed to “enhance environmentally sound waste management and substantially reduce waste generation by 2030 and highlight the importance of zero waste initiatives,” Murmu said.

Murmu appreciated that all States, ULBs, and citizens are moving ahead on the path of prosperity through cleanliness and are creating self-reliance through the Mission. Highlighting SafaiMitra Suraksha, Murmu said, "I am immensely happy to know that effective steps are being taken to ensure Safe Mitra safety, dignity and well-being”.

“It is highly commendable that in the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission, circular waste management is being followed and the circular economy process of recycling and reusing more and more items is proving helpful for sustainable development,” she said. Speaking at the occasion, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, “Today every city in India is ODF. This became possible because SBM went from a govt programme to becoming a Jan Andolan. The mission is a testimony to the vision of Antyodaya se Sarvodaya.”

Highlighting the achievements of Swachh Bharat Mission, Puri specified that in 2014 there was only 15-16 percent scientific processing of waste, while today the number is almost 76 percent, in next 2 to 3 years, 100 percent will be achieved. “By the end of this mission we will have fully transitioned from manhole to machine hole.

SBM has brought about a considerable behavioural change amongst people. Swachh Survekshan has integrated strict process and discipline among cities in terms of Swachhata. From modest beginnings in 2016, today the Swachh Survekshan has evolved into the world’s largest annual survey. Swachh Survekshan has fostered healthy competition among cities and is a robust third-party assessment,” Puri said.