Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Launches The Toolkit For 9th Edition Of Swachh Survekshan

India’s cleanest cities move into a newly created Super Swachh League

12 cities enter the maiden League

Cities placed in five population categories under New Swachh Survekshan

A range of new parameters added

New Delhi, Jan 17 Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, today launched the toolkit for 9th edition of Swachh Survekshan (SS), the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey, in its new avatar–simpler, sharper, systematic and all-inclusive. Secretary, MoHUA, S. Katikithala was also present at the launch event. The launch was attended by JS & MD, SBM-U, Roopa Mishra, ACS, Principal Secretaries of Urban Development, State Mission Directors, Municipal Commissioners representatives from various States and Urban Local Bodies and officials from the MoHUA.

Initially launched by MoHUA in 2016, Swachh Survekshan drives urban sanitation improvement through citizen participation and third-party validation. For the year 2024, a special category – Super Swachh League has been introduced creating a separate league of cities excelling in cleanliness. The cities who have been in top 3 in at least 2 years in the last 3 years (2021-2023) have made the cut. There are 12 cities in the Super Swachh League. Moving ahead, top 3 ranking cities in each population category will move into the league for the subsequent years. ULBs in this league will be assessed on additional aspirational indicators and must maintain a score of 85% or higher to retain their position.

Cities in Super Swachh LeagueVery Small Cities (< 20,000 population) – Panchgani, PatanSmall Cities (20,000 – 50,000 population) – Vita, SasvadMedium Cities (50,000 – 3 Lakh population) – Ambikapur, Tirupati, New Delhi Municipal CouncilBig Cities (3 – 10 Lakh population) – Noida, ChandigarhMillion Plus Cities (> 10 Lakh population) – Navi Mumbai, Indore, Surat

Speaking at the launch of the new toolkit for Swachh Survekshan, the Union Minister said, “To acknowledge the exceptional performance of cities in Swachh Survekshan, we are introducing the ‘Super Swachh League’, a competition among the cleanest cities. This reflects our shared commitment to cleanliness, and our continuous innovation keeps the Swachh Bharat Mission a global success even after 10 years. Our focus is on improving quality year after year, with simplified evaluation parameters that ensure clearer data from ULBs and maintain full transparency. This approach strengthens the mission’s reputation and drives ongoing progress in urban cleanliness.

Highlighting the impact of Swachh Survekshan, Secretary, MoHUA, S. Katikithala said, “Swachh Survekshan stands as a remarkable testament to collaboration and collective responsibility, reflecting the nation’s commitment to making cleanliness a way of life. The introduction of the Super Swachh League in this year’s survey serves dual purposes: it encourages top-performing cities to strive for higher aspirational standards, while also motivating other cities to improve and aim for top ranks.”

Again, for the very first time, the cities have been classified into 5 population categories: Very Small, Small, Medium, Big, and Million-Plus. Each category will be assessed based on population and parameters tailored to its specific size and needs. Awards will be given to clean cities in each category. This makes the new Swachh Survekshan inclusive. Even Small Cities will be able to showcase their excellence along with the usual stalwarts like Indore and Surat.

essment for the 9^th edition will commence on 15^th Feb., 2025 and will be completed by the end of March 2025.