Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday honoured Bhopal Municipal Corporation chairman Kishan Suryavanshi with the 'Seva Samman' in acknowledgement of dedicated public service.

The award was presented at the 'Urban Development Government Honour Ceremony' organised by the Bansal Group in Indore. The event was also attended by the Mayor of Sagar, Sangeeta Sushil Tiwari, the Mayor of Ratlam, Prahlad Patel, and the chairman of the Devas Municipal Corporation, Ravi Jain.

During the ceremony, Suryavanshi shared that Municipal Councils are often referred to as the primary political school. To promote parliamentary conduct, he introduced a policy banning 838 unparliamentary words in council meetings, making Bhopal the first municipal body to do so.

He credited the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission and the cleanliness competition in cities to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Suryavanshi highlighted the impact of door-to-door waste collection services, a development they had not anticipated.

In Bhopal, residents' associations, businesses, and NSS and NCC cadets participated in cleanliness competitions, with the cleanest colony receiving a Rs. 5 lakh development grant, which yielded positive results.

He also reported collecting nearly Rs 99 lakh in spot fines from those disrupting cleanliness efforts.

He praised Bhopal’s natural beauty, noting that its water management systems enhanced the city's charm.Suryavanshi recognised the efforts of sanitation workers, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they risked their lives to continue their work while the public stayed at home.