New Delhi [India], July 15 : President Droupadi Murmu will be conferring the prestigious Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards at a national ceremony organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) at Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan on July 17 (Thursday), according to an official statement from the ministry.
The awards will be given in the presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal and Minister of State, MoHUA Tokhan Sahu, the statement added.
Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 marks the ninth edition of the world's largest urban cleanliness survey. This event will unveil the cleanest cities of urban India, recognising the tireless efforts of cities driving the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) forward.
This year, the prestigious awards will be presented across four categories - Super Swachh League Cities; Top three clean cities in five population categories; Special Category: Ganga Towns, Cantonment Boards, SafaiMitra Suraksha, Mahakumbh; State Level Awards - Promising clean city of State/UT. A total of 78 Awards will be presented this year.
"Swachh Survekshan (SS), a landmark initiative under the SBM-U, has become a defining force in urban India's journey toward cleanliness--capturing hearts, shaping mindsets, and inspiring action for the past nine years. Starting with 73 ULBs in 2016, the latest edition now encompasses more than 4,500 cities. This year, the awards not only celebrate the top Swachh Shehar but also recognize and encourage small cities showing strong promise and progress," the statement read.
The awards spotlight the theme of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Over 3,000 assessors conducted thorough inspections in every ward across the country over a period of 45 days. With an unwavering commitment to inclusivity and transparency, the initiative encompassed the assessment of over 11 lakh households.
The statement added, "The Assessment conducted in the year 2024 marked a landmark moment in public engagement, successfully reaching and involving a 14 crore citizens who participated through face-to-face interactions, the Swachhata App, MyGov, and social media platforms."
This time, the cities have been classified into five population-based categories: (1) Very Small Cities: < 20,000 population, (2) Small Cities: 20,000 - 50,000 population, (3) Medium Cities: 50,000-3 lakh population, (4) Big Cities: 3-10 lakh population and (5) Million-Plus Cities: > 10 lakh population.
This event also introduces the Super Swachh League (SSL), a separate league of cities excelling in cleanliness. The introduction of the SSL serves a dual purpose; inspiring top-performing cities to reach even higher standards of cleanliness, while also motivating other cities to improve their performance and compete for top rankings.
The SSL features cities that have ranked in the top three at least once in the last three years and remain in the top 20 per cent of their respective population category in the current year.
The ministry said that each category has been evaluated using parameters specifically tailored to its size and unique needs. Cleanest cities have been recognised and will be awarded within each category. This approach ensures that even smaller cities have the opportunity to shine and compete on a level playing field with the usual frontrunners.