Assam govt prepares roadmap for statewide cleanliness drive
Guwahati, Aug 12
The Assam government has drawn up a roadmap to transform Swachh Bharat Mission initiatives into a sustained statewide cleanliness movement, with a focus on behavioural change, scientific waste management, sanitation and greater citizen participation at the grassroots level.
A meeting of senior government officials on Wednesday reviewed the way forward for strengthening the Swachh Bharat Mission across rural and urban Assam and discussed a comprehensive action plan to make cleanliness and sanitation a continuous community‑driven effort.
Officials stressed the need to move beyond the creation of sanitation infrastructure and ensure its functionality, maintenance and long‑term sustainability. Strengthening waste segregation at source, grey‑water management, sewage and wastewater treatment and climate‑resilient sanitation practices were among the key areas discussed.
The meeting also emphasised greater use of technology, including GIS‑based monitoring systems, to track sanitation and waste‑management outcomes. Officials discussed strengthening linkages between waste collection, processing and recycling as part of efforts to promote circular‑economy initiatives across the state.
A major focus of the proposed roadmap is to create a system of annual awards to recognise districts, urban local bodies, panchayats and grassroots‑level institutions that demonstrate outstanding performance in cleanliness and sanitation.
Under the proposed Swachh Bharat Mission‑Urban framework, better‑performing urban local bodies would be identified and felicitated at the state level. The government also plans to recognise the best‑performing ward in each municipal corporation, municipal board and town committee, with such awards to be presented at the district level.
Similarly, under Swachh Bharat Mission‑Gramin, districts would be assessed based on the performance of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Annual awards would also be instituted for the best‑performing wards at the Gaon Panchayat level.
The government further proposed identifying and recognising the cleanest street in villages based on sanitation and cleanliness performance, to encourage competition and community participation at the grassroots.
Officials also discussed integrating Swachh Bharat activities into senior government officials' field visits and strengthening the involvement of NGOs, self‑help groups, youth organisations and citizens. The state‑level awardees under both the rural and urban categories are proposed to receive a rolling trophy or shield.
The overarching objective is to make Assam one of the cleanest states in the country, with every city, town and village becoming cleaner, sustainable, climate‑resilient and committed to Swachhata.
Senior officials from the Assam government, Guwahati Municipal Corporation, TERI and other departments and organisations attended the meeting.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative, but we need to ensure the awards don't become just a formality. The real test will be whether the cleanliness drives continue even after the inspections are done. Rural areas especially need proper waste segregation facilities first.
Appreciate the emphasis on behavioural change! We can build all the infrastructure we want, but if people don't change their habits, nothing will improve. Schools should teach waste segregation from an early age. ♻️
The cleanest street award is a nice idea to encourage healthy competition at the village level. But the govt must ensure small towns and villages get equal attention. Often, these drives focus only on Guwahati and other major cities.
Interesting approach focusing on grey-water management and climate-resilient sanitation. Hope they bring in technical expertise from institutions like IIT-Guwahati to make this truly effective, not just another bureaucratic exercise.
The rolling trophy idea sounds good! It creates a sense of pride and accomplishment. But let's also ensure proper compensation and resources for the sanitary workers who do the actual heavy lifting. They're the real heroes. 🙏
"Climate-resilient sanitation" — good to see they're thinking long-term. With the Brahmaputra flooding every year, we need infrastructure that can withstand these challenges. Also,
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