Indore tops cleanliness rankings again, some states object; top 10 cities to compete separately

Indore ranks No. 1 in cleanliness for the 7th time, some states object; Centre to introduce separate competition.

Cleanest City of India: Indore's consistent top ranking for seven consecutive years in the cleanliness rankings is causing displeasure among several states. Instead of striving for parity, they are objecting to Indore's award. Considering these objections, the central government is planning to introduce separate cleanliness rankings for cities consistently ranking within the top 10 or top 20. The rankings for the remaining cities will continue as before. The deadline for this is 31 March.

The deadline may be extended if necessary. This was stated by the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar. He was in Bhopal on Sunday to highlight the benefits of the Union Budget. The minister said that the new provisions for ranking will boost the morale of cities lagging behind despite making good efforts. The Chief Minister, Dr. Mohan Yadav, was also present on this occasion.

Gujarat Achieves Parity

Unlike those objecting to Indore's ranking, many states are innovating to achieve parity. Last time, Gujarat did this. As a result, Surat also received the first prize jointly with Indore.

Centre May Implement These Changes in Cleanliness Ranking Competition

• An official from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs stated that separate competitions could be held between Tier-1, Tier-2, and Tier-3 cities. The budget allocation for these cities differs. Some stricter criteria might also be added to the rankings of these cities.
• The scope of ranking for cities lagging behind in terms of resources and budget may be different.
• Many cities are newly established. The systems for aesthetics, transportation, and cleanliness are different from the outset. Some older cities have large populations in smaller areas. It is difficult for such cities to meet 100% of the cleanliness criteria even with considerable effort. The ranking of such cities can be done against similar cities.
• A city's population, area, education, and per capita income play a significant role in its sanitation system. Therefore, the scope of ranking can be differentiated between cities with similar population, area, education, and per capita income.