President of India Presents Swachh Survekshan Awards

New Delhi: The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu presented Swachh Survekshan awards at a function organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in New Delhi today. Indore and Surat win All India Clean City Rank 1 in Swachh Survekhan 2023 in more than one lakh population categories.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the Swachh Survekshan conducted with wide participation is an important step towards raising the level of cleanliness. She appreciated all for moving forward on the path of ‘Cleanliness to Prosperity’. She was happy to note that cleanliness campaigns are creating opportunities for economic self-reliance of women.

As many as 13 awardees received felicitations under categories of Clean Cities, Cleanest Cantonment, SafaiMitra Suraksha, Ganga Towns and Best Performing State. This year the cleanest city award showcased joint winners. Port city Surat bagged the top honours, alongside Indore, who had conquered the top spot alone for 6 consecutive years. 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. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh won the top three awards for Best Performing State.  Chandigarh walked away with the award for the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher. Total 110 awards were bestowed during the ceremony.

The President said that our Safai Mitras have been the frontline soldiers of our cleanliness campaign. She was happy to note that effective steps are being taken to ensure the safety, dignity and welfare of Safai Mitras. She said that only by eliminating manholes through mechanized cleaning and achieving the goal of sanitation through machine-holes we will be able to establish our true identity as a sensitive society.

The President was happy to note that emphasis is being laid on circularity in waste management in the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission. She said that the circular economy’s methods of recycling and reusing more and more goods are proving helpful for sustainable development. She expressed confidence that such a system will prove to be very useful in the field of waste management also.

The President said that if we deeply consider the concept of value from waste, it becomes clear that everything is valuable, nothing is waste. This holistic and progressive thinking works behind making biogas from green waste and generating electricity from refuse derived fuel.

The President said that about one-third of our population live in urban areas. Cleanliness of cities and towns is essential for their health and development. She noted that a huge amount of urban land is buried under mountains of garbage. She said that such mountains of garbage are extremely harmful for the health of the urban population. She was happy to note that such dump-sites are being eliminated under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. She expressed confidence that effective work will be done in all the urban areas and the target of zero dump-site will be achieved.

The President said that youth are our most important stakeholders. If the young generation decides to keep all the cities and the entire country clean, then India of 2047 will certainly celebrate its centenary of independence by being included among the cleanest countries in the world. She urged all the youth of the country to move forward with the big goal of making India the cleanest country in the world.