Bhubaneswar: Odisha has secured national recognition for its efforts in urban cleanliness, sanitation and sustainable waste management at the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025–26, with Puri emerging as the top-ranked city in the Swachh Coastal Town category, officials said.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra and Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, Usha Padhee, received the award from President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Adding to the state’s achievements, Bhubaneswar was recognised as Odisha’s first State Swachh City, while Aska Municipality secured the second rank in the category of Urban Local Bodies with a population ranging from 20,000 to 50,000.
The achievements highlight the state’s efforts to improve sanitation standards, strengthen waste management systems and encourage citizen participation in cleanliness initiatives, officials said.
The recognition also acknowledges the collective efforts of the state government, Urban Local Bodies, sanitation workers and citizens in strengthening urban sanitation infrastructure and promoting sustainable cleanliness practices.
The Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025–26 mark the tenth edition of the nationwide urban cleanliness and sanitation assessment conducted under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban.
This year’s edition, themed ‘Swachhata Ki Nayi Pehel – Badhayein Haath, Karein Safai Saath’, marks a decade of efforts to transform urban sanitation through citizen participation, institutional accountability and healthy competition among cities.
The award ceremony was attended by Special Secretary-cum-Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), Binaya Kumar Dash; Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Mayor Sulochana Das; the Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation; representatives of Puri Municipal Corporation; and the Chairman and Executive Officer of Aska Municipality.
The recognition is expected to further strengthen Odisha’s efforts towards sustainable waste management, improved urban sanitation and the development of cleaner, healthier and more liveable cities across the state.
