President to Confer Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26
Why in News?
- President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26 in New Delhi on Wednesday, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said on 9 November 2026, News On AIR reported.
- Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal and Minister of State Tokhan Sahu will attend. The 10th edition of the survey, themed "Swachhata Ki Nayi Pehel – Badhayein Haath, Karein Safai Saath", has been completed.
- The survey has grown from 73 Urban Local Bodies in 2016 to more than 4,000 cities in its latest edition. The report did not name the winners.
Key Terminologies
- Swachh Survekshan
- The annual cleanliness survey of urban India run by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the SBM-U) Phase one goal…">Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban. It ranks cities on sanitation, waste management and citizen feedback.
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- The Union ministry in charge of urban development and the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban. Its minister is Manohar Lal.
- Urban Local Bodies
- City governments such as municipal corporations and councils. The survey rates their performance.
- Open Defecation Free and Open Urination
- Standards in the mission for cities with no open defecation. The 2025-26 survey added indicators on stopping open urination.
- Super Swachh League
- A category in earlier editions that recognised cities which had repeatedly ranked at the top. The 2025-26 announcement did not mention it.
- Citizen Feedback
- Residents' views on cleanliness, collected through surveys and apps. It is given more weight in the 2025-26 edition.
Key Issues
- The Awards: President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26 in New Delhi on Wednesday, with Minister Manohar Lal and Minister of State Tokhan Sahu attending.
- Growth of the Survey: It has expanded from 73 Urban Local Bodies in 2016 to more than 4,000 cities in the latest edition, the Ministry said.
- New in 2025-26: More emphasis on citizen feedback, wider coverage of urban riverfronts, indicators on stopping open defecation and open urination, cleanliness at tourist and heritage sites, and behaviour change initiatives in schools.
- Theme: The 10th edition carries the theme "Swachhata Ki Nayi Pehel – Badhayein Haath, Karein Safai Saath".
- Not Yet Reported: The report did not name the categories, the cleanest cities or the number of cities that took part in 2025-26.
Key Implications
Positive/Pros/Merits
- Healthy Competition: Rankings push cities to improve sanitation, waste processing and public toilets.
- Citizen Voice: More weight on citizen feedback makes cities answer to residents.
- Wider Coverage: Including riverfronts, heritage sites and schools broadens the idea of cleanliness.
- Public Recognition: A ceremony led by the President draws attention to sanitation workers and local bodies.
Negative/Cons/Demerits
- Ranking Pressure: Cities may focus on scoring well on the survey instead of lasting change in waste systems.
- Data Reliability: Self-reported data and short inspection periods can be gamed.
- Limited Detail: The announcement gave no list of winners or scores, so the results cannot yet be judged, and the real test is whether ranked cities keep their standards after the ceremony.
- Uneven Capacity: Smaller cities with fewer resources may rank lower despite effort, so the survey groups cities by population to keep comparison fair.
Key Initiatives
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: It runs the survey and announced the 2025-26 awards, 9 November 2026.
- President Droupadi Murmu: She will confer the awards on Wednesday in New Delhi.
- Urban Local Bodies: More than 4,000 cities took part in the latest edition, according to the Ministry.
- Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban: The mission under which the survey is held, with cleanliness indicators updated each year.
The Ministry said the awards recognise what cities and states have achieved over the past decade. The report did not mention categories, rankings, the Super Swachh League or the number of participating cities in 2025-26.
Director's Perspective
Way Forward
- Know who runs the Swachh Survekshan and under which mission.
- Remember the growth from 73 cities in 2016 to more than 4,000.
- Note the new indicators on open urination, riverfronts, heritage sites and schools.
- Link the survey to the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban and urban local bodies.
- Compare it with other ranking tools such as the Ease of Living Index and the Municipal Performance Index.
- In answers, discuss strengths and limits of ranking-based approaches.
The Swachh Survekshan has grown from 73 cities to more than 4,000 and now covers riverfronts, heritage sites, schools and citizen feedback. Rankings can spur cities to improve, but they can also reward scoring over lasting change, and the 2025-26 results were not yet public. In a Mains answer, explain what the survey measures and who runs it, discuss the benefits and limits of rankings, and conclude that lasting cleanliness needs funded municipal systems, trained workers and honest data.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Swachh Survekshan?
The Swachh Survekshan is the annual cleanliness survey of urban India run by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It has grown from 73 Urban Local Bodies in 2016 to more than 4,000 cities in its latest edition, the Ministry said on 9 November 2026.
When will the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26 be conferred?
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26 in New Delhi on Wednesday, with Minister Manohar Lal and Minister of State Tokhan Sahu attending, News On AIR reported on 9 November 2026. The 10th edition has been completed.
What is new in Swachh Survekshan 2025-26?
The 2025-26 edition adds more emphasis on citizen feedback, wider coverage of urban riverfronts, indicators on stopping open defecation and open urination, cleanliness at tourist and heritage sites, and behaviour change initiatives in schools, according to the Ministry.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Swachh Survekshan is run by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Its 10th edition has been completed and the 2025-26 awards will be conferred by the President.
2 The Swachh Survekshan began with more than 4,000 cities in 2016.
It began with 73 Urban Local Bodies in 2016 and has grown to more than 4,000.
3 The 2025-26 edition places more emphasis on citizen feedback.
It also covers riverfronts, heritage sites and schools.