Chhattisgarh has earned the status of the cleanest state of the country and has also achieved the status of being the first ODF plus plus state and the title of garbage-free city in star rating as per results of ‘Swachh Survekshan 2020’ announced on Thursday.
The first ever National Award Ceremony organised online, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Urban Administration Minister Shivkumar Dahariya received the award from Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri.
Addressing the ceremony, Chief Minister threw light on dung procurement through Godhan Nyay Yojana in state. He said waste is being converted into fertilizer.
‘‘Dung procured at Rs 2/kg is being utilized for preparation of vermi-compost. This has enhanced cleanliness in villages and cities. Dung is being purchased in 377 dung procurement centres set up in urban areas of the state. This scheme has helped in increasing income of people,’’ Baghel said while participating in the online function.
Appreciating the scheme, Union Minister Puri said, ‘it is a model of waste to wealth, which is being further scaled up’. He said the commercial model is worth emulating for other states.
Chief Minister said that our aim is to maintain the top position of Chhattisgarh in Cleanliness Survey next year as well.
Similarly, Ambikapur, a city located at the northern tip of the Chhattisgarh has been given 5-star city status and 9 cities have been awarded 3-star status and 5 cities have been awarded 1 star city status by the Government of India.
Patan Nagar Panchayat has got the status of the cleanest city of the country in the category of ‘population less than 25,000. Patan is also the native area of Baghel and he is MLA from Patan assembly seat.
Jashpurnagar has secured the top position in the country under the category of population 25 to 50,000, Dhamtari won the cleanest city award in population of 50,000 to 01 lakh category and Ambikapur has got the status of the cleanest city in the country in the category of population 01 to 10 lakh.
Besides, among the other 10 cities of the state, Industrial city Bhilai holds the 34th rank, in population upto 01 lakh, Bhilai-Charoda ranks second, Chirmiri ranks third, Birgaon ranks fourth, whereas in the population category of 25-50,000, Kawardha ranks second, Champa ranks fifth, Akaltara ranks 74th, and in the less than 25,000 population category, Narharpur ranks second, Saragaon ranks third and Pipariya ranks fourth.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Urban Administration Minister Dr. Shivkumar Dahariya congratulated the urban bodies and the people of the state, and called upon them to continue their cooperation in the same way.