Raipur, Nov 10 (PTI) Raipur, Bilaspur and Bilha cities of Chhattisgarh have been selected for national awards under the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26, reflecting efforts to improve sanitation facilities and participation of citizens, officials said on Tuesday.
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the awards at a felicitation ceremony to be held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The tenth edition of the Swachh Survekshan highlights collective responsibility, public awareness and citizen participation in maintaining cleanliness, an official statement said.
The achievement reflects sustained efforts to improve sanitation facilities, the dedication of sanitation workers and active participation of citizens, it stated.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated the residents, public representatives, officials and employees of urban local bodies, and sanitation workers of the three cities for the achievement.
He said the recognition honoured the hard work of thousands of sanitation workers who work tirelessly every day to keep cities clean, as well as citizens who have contributed to the cleanliness campaign by considering it their responsibility.
For the state government, cleanliness is not merely about securing a better position in a competition or survey but is directly linked to citizens' health, dignity and quality of life, Sai said.
Collective awareness about keeping homes, neighbourhoods, markets and public places clean is essential for making sanitation efforts sustainable and effective, he noted.
The state government has been working with full commitment to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a Swachh Bharat and make Chhattisgarh a clean, beautiful, healthy and developed state, Sai added.
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, who also holds the Urban Administration and Development portfolio, described the selection of three cities for national awards as an encouraging achievement for the state's urban administration.
The state government is committed to making cleanliness an integral part of the regular functioning of cities and the daily lives of people rather than limiting it to specific campaigns or survey periods, Sao said.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has formally informed the state government about the selection of the three cities through a letter, the statement said.
The ministry's Secretary, Satendra Singh, appreciated the sanitation initiatives undertaken in the state and public participation, describing the efforts of the selected cities as significant, it said.
The ministry has invited representatives from the state and the selected cities, including sanitation workers, sanitation inspectors, supervisors, engineers and officials involved in implementing the cleanliness mission.
Four representatives from each award-winning city will have the opportunity to receive the honour on stage, the statement added.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)