Union Minister Manohar Lal launches initiative to raise urban cleanliness standards; new sanitation innovation centre, startup cohort and citizen platforms unveiled
New Delhi : Raipur and Bilaspur Municipal Corporations of Chhattisgarh have been selected among 50 model cities under the PRAGATI-50 initiative, launched by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The initiative has been introduced following directions given by the Prime Minister during the 51st PRAGATI meeting. Under the framework of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0), the selected cities will undertake targeted, Key Performance Indicator (KPI)-based action aimed at achieving higher and sustained standards of urban cleanliness.
The 50 cities, spread across 24 States, will work towards improving visible cleanliness, solid waste management, used water management, sanitation and citizen participation through structured action plans, technology-enabled monitoring and outcome-based assessments.
Raipur and Bilaspur to Work Towards Model City Standards
The inclusion of Raipur and Bilaspur places the two Chhattisgarh cities among the urban centres selected to demonstrate improved standards of cleanliness and waste management.
Speaking at the launch, Union Minister Manohar Lal said the 50 cities would work towards becoming model cities for Swachhata and setting examples for other urban centres.
He said the selected cities would need to move beyond routine sanitation activities and demonstrate sustained performance in visible cleanliness and other identified parameters. Major cities, cultural centres, tourism destinations and economic hubs have been included in the initiative.
Progress will be monitored through outcome-based assessments and technology-enabled systems. The Union Minister said he would personally chair review meetings every two months to assess the progress of the selected cities.
Tokhan Sahu Calls for Micro-Level Action Plans
Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu said that over the past decade, Swachhata had evolved from a people’s movement into a way of life.
He said the model-city initiative would support cities in achieving the objective of Garbage Free Cities within a defined timeframe and help them emerge as role models for other urban centres.
Sahu called upon States and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to prepare micro-level action plans and ensure their timely and effective implementation.
He also highlighted the role of youth and technology in driving innovation in sanitation and waste management. According to him, the launch of the third startup cohort in collaboration with IIT Kanpur marks the achievement of the national target of onboarding and incubating 75 startups under the Mission.
PRAGATI-Like Digital Monitoring on Swachhatam Portal
For continuous monitoring of the selected cities, the Ministry has established a Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI)-like digital review mechanism on the Swachhatam Portal.
Officials from the Ministry will be assigned specific cities for regular supervision, monitoring and handholding. The approach is intended to ensure that action plans translate into measurable outcomes on the ground.
Secretary, Department of Urban Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Satendra Singh, said the initiative would focus on improving citizen experience and ensuring holistic service delivery.
He highlighted the “City as a Whole” approach, under which stakeholders, partners and ULBs will be brought together during planning and implementation.
New Guidelines for C&D Waste and Source Segregation
During the programme, the Ministry released two important documents aimed at strengthening municipal waste management:
- Standard Operating Procedure for Establishment of Secondary Collection Centre for Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste
- Guidelines for Source Segregation of Municipal Solid Waste, mandated under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
The measures are intended to provide cities and local bodies with clearer operational guidance for waste collection, segregation and management.
Swachh Bharat Test Bed and Innovation Centre Launched
Research and innovation received a major push with the launch of the Swachh Bharat Test Bed & Innovation Centre at Durgapur in collaboration with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CMERI).
The centre will function as a national facility for:
- Research and development in sanitation technologies
- Product development
- Testing and validation
- Certification
- Capacity building
- Evaluation of innovative sanitation solutions
The facility is expected to support the development and adoption of technology-driven solutions for urban sanitation.
13 Startups Join Third Swachhata Startup Cohort
The Ministry also launched the third cohort of Swachhata startups in collaboration with the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur.
A total of 13 startups have joined the latest cohort. The startups will focus on technology-based solutions covering sanitation and waste management.
The initiative builds on the Mission’s efforts to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation across the waste value chain.
Dedicated WhatsApp Channel for Citizens
A dedicated WhatsApp channel has also been launched to make it easier for citizens to lodge sanitation-related complaints and participate in efforts to keep their cities clean.
The initiative builds upon the Swachhata App, which serves as an interface for citizens to report complaints and seek grievance redressal.
The WhatsApp-based facility is intended to make citizen participation more accessible through a platform widely used for everyday communication.
Swachhata Behaviour Change Digital Kosh
Union Minister Manohar Lal also launched the Swachhata Behaviour Change Digital Kosh, a digital repository designed to bring together communication resources aimed at encouraging behavioural change around cleanliness and sustainability.
The repository will provide States, ULBs and other stakeholders with ready-to-use:
- Communication resources
- Creative materials
- Campaign ideas
- Advocacy content
- Behaviour-change initiatives
It will also facilitate knowledge sharing and replication of successful campaigns, with the broader objective of making cleanliness a sustained habit and way of life.
RRR Centre Inaugurated at Sankalp Bhawan
As part of Swachhata Hi Seva 2026, the Union Minister inaugurated a Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) Centre at Sankalp Bhawan in New Delhi.
The centre is envisaged as the first such facility in a Union Ministry office and will promote sustainable consumption, reuse, resource recovery and circularity within government workplaces.
Focus on Future-Ready Urban Systems
The PRAGATI-50 initiative brings together technology, monitoring, innovation, citizen participation and capacity building to strengthen urban sanitation.
For Raipur and Bilaspur, inclusion among the 50 selected cities provides a structured framework for pursuing higher cleanliness and waste-management benchmarks.
The initiative also aligns urban sanitation efforts with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, with emphasis on garbage-free cities, scientific waste management, circular economy principles and sustainable urban systems.
