In a moment of pride for Meghalaya, Shillong has been awarded the prestigious title of ‘Promising Swachh Shehar of State/UT’ during the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards held in New Delhi. The award recognises the city’s consistent efforts in sanitation, solid waste management, and public participation under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu at a grand ceremony organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs at Vigyan Bhawan. The event honoured a total of 43 cities and institutions across India for their exemplary performance in promoting cleanliness and hygiene in urban areas.
Shillong was one of the 34 cities recognised as a ‘Promising Swachh Shehar’ across different states and union territories, selected under the ‘One City, One Award’ policy. This ensures that the best-performing city from each state or UT is recognised for its tangible progress in improving urban sanitation and cleanliness. The award also highlights Shillong’s growing role as a model for other smaller cities striving to raise their cleanliness standards.
This year’s Swachh Survekshan survey featured a revised framework that created a level playing field between smaller and larger cities. The updated methodology helped cities like Shillong gain visibility and recognition based on performance, innovation, and citizen engagement rather than size or population alone.
During her address, President Murmu praised cities that demonstrated meaningful innovation and citizen involvement in waste management. She stressed the importance of adopting the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (RRR) approach and stated, “Waste is best is the mantra and it gives strength to circularity in economy.” She further appreciated the role of self-help groups, school-based awareness campaigns, and source segregation startups in reinforcing the goals of the Swachh Bharat initiative.
Among the top cleanest cities, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow stood out as the top three in the national ranking. In addition, Prayagraj won the award for Best Ganga Town, while Secunderabad Cantonment Board was recognised as Best Cantonment Board.
A special mention was given to Uttar Pradesh for successfully managing waste during the Mahakumbh festival, which saw participation from over 660 million people. The Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, also launched the Swachh City Partnership, under which 78 high-performing cities will mentor weaker ones from their own states.
Minister of State Tokhan Sahu, who was also present, lauded the joint efforts of municipal bodies, residents, and urban development authorities in driving forward cleanliness programs.
To further improve waste remediation efforts, the government announced the Accelerated Dumpsite Remediation programme, which will officially commence on August 15, 2025. This initiative aims to fast-track the clearance of legacy waste dumpsites across cities.