Gandhinagar, Nov 12 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday highlighted Ahmedabad-Sanand, Vadodara and Surat for their performance in the 'Swachh Survekshan 2025-26', with the three urban centres securing national recognition in different categories.
Patel said the state had successfully translated into action the cleanliness movement launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that "cleanliness had become a way of life for people across the state under his (PM Modi's) guidance".
Congratulating the cities and their residents, the Chief Minister called for renewed efforts to build a clean and developed Gujarat.
"The state had embraced the Prime Minister's vision of making cleanliness a mass movement, " he added.
The Ahmedabad-Sanand pair secured first place nationally in the 'Swachh Shehar Jodi' category, which recognises collaboration between mentor and mentee cities to improve urban waste management.
Under the initiative, better-performing cities share their experience and practices with other cities to strengthen cleanliness and sanitation systems.
Surat secured second place in the national 'Super Swachh League' category for cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, retaining its position among the country's leading clean cities for the second consecutive year.
Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai secured the first position, while Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada stood third. Vadodara was recognised as state's cleanest city in the awards.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 awards at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Gujarat Urban Development Minister Kanu Desai, Minister of State Darshana Vaghela, and officials of the respective municipal corporations received the awards.
The 2025-26 edition marks the 10th edition of the annual cleanliness survey conducted under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.
The assessment covers various parameters, including waste segregation, collection and transportation, solid waste management, visible cleanliness, sanitation facilities and citizen feedback.