SwachhSurvekshan Awards: Celebrating Urban Sanitation Triumph
The highly anticipated results of the 8th edition of the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey, SwachhSurvekshan, are poised to unveil the cleanest cities of urban India. President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will confer honors upon the winners at Bharat Mandapam on January 11, 2024, in a national event organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. More than 110 awards will be presented across various categories, with over 20 awards in the National category alone, recognizing and acknowledging the outstanding performances of cities and states.
SwachhSurvekshan has evolved into a platform fostering healthy competition among cities, propelling them to enhance urban sanitation and deliver superior services to their residents. Originating with the assessment of 73 major cities in 2016, the survey has expanded its reach to cover 4,477 cities in the current edition. This year’s focus includes addressing legacy dumpsites, managing plastic waste, adhering to the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and ensuring the safety of SafaiMitras. The survey, conducted by a team of over 3,000 assessors, emphasizes transforming waste into valuable resources.
Citizen engagement and feedback are pivotal to the success of SwachhSurvekshan, with an unprecedented 12 crore citizen responses received during this year’s assessment, covering a population of around 409 million. The award ceremony at Bharat Mandapam on January 11, 2024, will showcase cutting-edge waste management technologies and equipment, including mechanical sweeping machines, sewage cleaning robots, and waste collection vehicles. An exhibition featuring products crafted from waste by Self Help Groups will add a colorful dimension to the event.
The ceremony, expected to draw over 3,000 participants, will include Urban Development Ministers, Mayors, state and city administrators, sector partners, subject experts, youth organizations, industry representatives, startups in sanitation and waste management, academic institutions, NGOs, CSOs, SafaiMitras, and Self Help Groups. Beyond rewarding the clean cities, the SwachhSurvekshan Awards also aim to recognize cities that have made significant progress and implemented initiatives for garbage-free environments. With a year of hard work, competition, enthusiasm, and dedication to swachhata, the cities eagerly await the announcement of the 8th edition’s winners on January 11, 2024.
