Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s effective leadership has positioned Uttar Pradesh as a state renowned for its cleanliness. This recognition is further evident in the Swachh Survekshan 2023 results, wherein UP has been awarded in various categories while Varanasi and Prayagraj have been recognised as the ‘Cleanest Ganga Towns’.
The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry announced the national awards for Swachh Survekshan 2023 for sanitation at an event organised at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The awards were received by the UP’s Urban Development Minister AK Sharma from President Droupadi Murmu.
In the Swachh Survekshan 2023, Varanasi and Prayagraj have received first and second places, respectively, as Cleanest Ganga Towns. Both these cities were honoured by President Murmu for their dedication to cleanliness.
Varanasi also received a three-star Garbage-Free City rating, and Prayagraj was awarded Water Plus City status. At the zonal level in the North India region, three cities from UP, namely Barwar, Anupshahr and Gajraula, received the Clean City North Zone award. Noida received the state-level Clean City award in the population category of one lakh.
In addition to this, the results of GFC and ODF have also been announced in which this year 65 cities of UP have been certified as garbage-free cities. Among the GFC cities, there are 56 one-star, eight three-star, and one five-star city.
UP aims to achieve the garbage-free certification for several more cities this year.
Furthermore, all cities in UP have become ODF this year. In various categories of ODF, two ULBs (urban local bodies) have obtained Water Plus certification for the first time. In other ODF categories, 129 ULBs have been certified as ODF++, and 435 ULBs have been certified as ODF+. With these certifications in all categories, all the cities of UP have now become ODF.
After receiving the national award from President Murmu, Sharma said that UP had made history as it was the first time that two major cities in the state had received national awards.
Not only that, out of the 13 cities receiving national awards, two are from UP, he added.
Sharma mentioned that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, significant changes have been made in urban management in UP. He pledged to deliver even better performance next year.
Principal Secretary (Urban Development) Amrit Abhijat said that UP had made notable progress in GFC and ODF in the past two years.
In the case of GFC, which refers to garbage-free cities, this year 65 cities in UP have been certified as garbage-free, compared to only five cities in 2021. This represents a remarkable 13-fold increase in two years, he added.
Additionally, two ULBs have obtained Water Plus certification for the first time, a recognition that was not achieved by any ULB before. This is the highest certification awarded after ODF++. As many as 129 ULBs have been certified as ODF++, compared to 40 last year and only seven in 2021. Furthermore, 435 ULBs have been certified as ODF+, while their numbers were 411 last year and a mere 269 in 2021.