Is Ahmedabad the Cleanest Big City in India? A Mayor's Delight!

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ahmedabad is recognized as India's cleanest large city.
- The award reflects the city's commitment to cleanliness and hygiene.
- Community involvement was crucial for this achievement.
- New categories were introduced in this year's Swachh Survekshan.
- The survey experienced substantial growth in participation.
Ahmedabad, July 17 (NationPress) Ahmedabad has been recognized as the cleanest large city in India during the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 awards, marking a significant achievement for both the city and the Gujarat state.
The city excelled among urban centers with populations exceeding 10 lakh, outshining Bhopal and Lucknow.
The esteemed award was bestowed by President Droupadi Murmu at an event held in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
In her remarks, Ahmedabad Mayor Pratibha Jain expressed her joy to IANS, stating, “I am profoundly pleased. Being named the cleanest large city is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the entire administration and the proactive involvement of our residents. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their visionary guidance and ongoing support.”
She continued, “Our hard work was guided by the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R). The establishment of a waste-to-energy plant significantly contributed to our success. I aspire for every city in Gujarat to achieve the same distinction in the future.”
This year's Swachh Survekshan introduced a new elite category—Super Swachh League Cities—which acknowledges cities that have consistently ranked among the top three over the past three years. Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai were recognized in this league. Last year, Indore and Surat shared the title of the cleanest cities, with Indore maintaining its top status for the seventh consecutive year.
In the category for populations between 3 to 10 lakh, Mira Bhayandar took the lead, followed by Bilaspur and Jamshedpur.
Initiated in 2016 under the Swachh Bharat Mission by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Swachh Survekshan has expanded rapidly. From just 73 cities in its inaugural edition, this year’s assessment encompassed 4,589 cities from April 2024 to March 2025.
As per an official announcement, the awards were distributed across four main categories: Super Swachh League Cities, Top Three Clean Cities in five population categories, Special Categories (including Ganga Towns, Cantonment Boards, SafaiMitra Suraksha, Mahakumbh), and State-Level Awards recognizing the most commendable clean cities.
This year, cities were classified into five population-based categories, including a new segment for very small cities with populations below 10 lakh.