New Delhi, Jul 17: President Droupadi Murmu will confer the prestigious Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards for urban cleanliness during a national ceremony organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on Thursday.

Marking its ninth edition, Swachh Survekshan (SS) 2024-25 is the world's largest urban cleanliness survey and a key pillar of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U).

The event will unveil the cleanest cities in India, honouring the outstanding efforts made by urban local bodies in advancing the mission.

This year's awards will be presented across four major categories: Super Swachh League (SSL) Cities, the top three clean cities in five different population categories, Special Categories including Ganga Towns, Cantonment Boards, SafaiMitra Suraksha, and Mahakumbh, and the State Level Awards for Promising Clean Cities of States/UTs. A total of 78 awards will be conferred during the ceremony.

The Swachh Survekshan, launched in 2016 with just 73 urban local bodies, has since expanded exponentially to cover over 4,500 cities. The 2024-25 edition continues to build on this legacy, spotlighting the theme of 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,' according to the MoHUA.

More than 3,000 trained assessors carried out detailed inspections in every ward across the country over a period of 45 days.

A hallmark of this year's assessment was its inclusivity and scale, according to the ministry, which added that over 11 lakh households were surveyed, while public engagement soared to a record high with 14 crore citizens participating through face-to-face interactions, the Swachhata App, MyGov, and various social media platforms.

Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 adopted a structured, technology-driven methodology based on 10 parameters and 54 indicators, offering a comprehensive insight into sanitation and waste management in urban India.

The ministry also mentioned that the unique feature of this year's edition is the introduction of the Super Swachh League (SSL) -- a special league recognising cities that have consistently demonstrated excellence in cleanliness.

The SSL includes cities that ranked in the top three at least once in the last three years and remain in the top 20 per cent of their population category this year. The league aims to both reward consistency and inspire others to strive for better performance.

For the first time, cities have been classified into five population-based categories for a more equitable evaluation -- Very Small Cities (population under 20,000), Small Cities (20,000 – 50,000), Medium Cities (50,000 – 3 lakh), Big Cities (3 – 10 lakh) and Million-Plus Cities (over 10 lakh).

Each category has been assessed using criteria specifically suited to its size and needs, ensuring that smaller cities can compete fairly and be recognised for their progress.

Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 continues to serve as a beacon of India's urban transformation, promoting behavioural change, rewarding excellence, and inspiring collective civic pride across the country.

(IANS)

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