Swachh Survekshan : Indore retains top position for 8th year in a row ; Chandigarh ranks second in 3-10 lakh category
Now in its ninth edition, the nationwide survey evaluated over 4,500 cities
PTC Web Desk: Indore has once again cemented its reputation as India’s cleanest city, topping the newly introduced “Super Swachh League Cities” category in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards. President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards on Thursday at a grand ceremony, where Indore also led in the category of cities with a population of over one million, followed closely by Surat, Navi Mumbai, and Vijayawada.
The “Super League” classification is a new addition to the annual survey, designed to recognise cities that have consistently maintained top performance. Indore, a regular at the top of the cleanliness charts, claimed the number one spot for a record eighth time. Surat, which shared the top position with Indore in the previous edition announced in January 2024, also maintained its strong performance—marking a remarkable turnaround from its earlier history as a plague-affected city.
Among cities with smaller populations, Noida was declared the cleanest in the 3-10 lakh population category followed by Chandigarh. Meanwhile New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) led in the 50,000–3 lakh category, Vita in Maharashtra topped among cities with 20,000–50,000 residents, while Panchgani was recognised as the cleanest among towns with a population below 20,000.
Launched in 2016 as part of the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, the Swachh Survekshan has grown into what the government describes as the world's largest cleanliness and sanitation survey for urban areas. While the first edition covered just 73 urban local bodies, this year’s exercise assessed over 4,500 cities across India.
According to a government release, more than 3,000 assessors conducted detailed on-ground evaluations in every ward over a period of 45 days. Their assessments included on-site inspections, data verification, and citizen feedback.
The survey took into account feedback from over 11 lakh households and involved active public participation, with more than 14 crore people engaged through in-person outreach, the Swachhata App, MyGov platform, and social media.
The awards were determined using 10 key parameters and 54 specific indicators, offering a detailed and holistic evaluation of urban sanitation and waste management practices.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who introduced the “Super Swachh League” category in September 2024, said the new elite classification recognises cities that have ranked among the top three at least once in the last three years and currently fall within the top 20% of their population bracket. A total of 78 awards were announced during Thursday’s event, which was also attended by MoS Tokhan Sahu and MoHUA Secretary Srinivas K.