MP News: 10th Edition Of Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 Launched; Bhopal To Compete With Indore In Super Swachh League

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday launched the 10th edition of Swachh Survekshan 2025–26 at the Regional Meeting of Urban Development Ministers of Northern and Central States, held at Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Center in Bhopal.

The edition brings major reforms to strengthen citizen participation, improve sanitation outcomes and recognise consistent performers. A key highlight for Madhya Pradesh is Bhopal’s first-ever entry into the Super Swachh League, where it will compete with India’s top-ranked clean city, Indore.

The Super Swachh League (Million Plus Cities) has been expanded in this edition. Ahmedabad, Bhopal and Lucknow have been added to the existing list of Indore, Navi Mumbai, Surat and Vijayawada, highlighting sustained excellence in urban cleanliness.

Citizen voices matter

The 10th edition significantly enhances citizens’ role in assessment. Public feedback will now be collected round the year through digital platforms such as Vote For My City app, MyGov app, Swachhata app, and QR codes. Weightage of citizen feedback in city rankings has been increased from around 32% to 35%, making public participation a decisive factor in determining city performance.

Tailored urban assessment

Survey framework has been widened to address diverse urban challenges. Ganga towns have been expanded to River towns, while a separate evaluation matrix has been introduced for coastal cities. New indicators include prevention of open defecation and open urination, special focus on tourist, heritage, religious and high-footfall areas, and behaviour change programmes in schools to promote cleanliness awareness among students.

Swachh Shehar Jodi

To encourage peer learning and replication of best practices, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched Swachh Shehar Jodi (SSJ) under SBM–Urban. Introduced in September 2025, the initiative includes 72 mentor cities and 200 mentee cities. A new award category will recognise top-performing Swachh Shehar Jodis based on their average performance across population categories.

Assessment timeline

Under Swachh Survekshan 2025–26, all urban local bodies formed on or before December 31, 2024, will be assessed. Cities will be ranked under five population-based categories: Very Small, Small, Medium, Big and Million Plus. Field assessments are expected to begin between mid-February and March 2026.