Cities achieving commendable performance in Swachh Survey will be given prizes worth Rs 500 crore- Fadnavis
Mumbai, July 23, 2019: With participation of people and change in habits have transformed swachh survey and Maharashtra bagged maximum awards in the country. It has been resolved to make 200 cities ‘Three Star’. Those cities will come to this category will be given funds for various schemes on priority basis. Besides prizes worth Rs 500 crore will be given to those doing best performance, announced Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here today.
Chief Minister honored those municipal corporations and councils that have given best performance in 2018 and 2019 at the national level at a function held at NCPC Auditorium. He was speaking on this occasion. The program was attended by Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, MoS Finance and Planning Dipak kesarkar, MoS Urban Development Yogesh Sagar, Principal Secretary of Urban Development Manisha Mhaiskar, Director Urban Administration M Shankarnarayana and others. 39 local self government bodies performing excellently in 2018 1nd 2019 swachh survey were honored. Presidents of Municipal councils, and CEOs accepted this honor.
In his address Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi started this Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Maharashtra has taken a lead in this campaign and taking all the municipal councils in the urban areas together this campaign of cleanliness was started and made the urban areas completely ODF (open defecation free) in record time. The President declared in 2017 that entire Maharashtra has become ODF. The state has emphasized on solid waste and sewage management and prepared the ‘Harit Compost’ brand from solid waste. The municipal councils have launched the ‘Best from Waste’ campaign. No city was ODF before 2014 but in the last four years all the cities have become ODF.
During the past five years the urban development department is given four to five times more fund. This fund is given to urban bodies for development activities. Decisions were taken considering urbanization not a challenge but as an opportunity that could change the picture of the cities. Development plans were made on a large scale and they were connected to development. Works were done through various schemes. Maharashtra has constructed maximum houses in the country under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). Ownership pattas were given to those who have encroached upon various places. This made the municipal councils that have no one living sans roof. Funds were given to drinking water schemes. More stress was laid on drinking water, solid waste management and sewage management, he said.
With the initiative taken by the municipal councils and citizens Maharashtra could bag maximum awards in 2018 and 2019 swachh survey. Transformation will not be possible unless people change their habits. If they change their habits and participate in the drive, cleanliness will be available in its real sense, the Chief Minister said.
Last year 53 cities in the country were given ‘three star’. Out of them 27 cities are from Maharashtra alone. Prizes will be given to those cities that have been lagging behind but hope to take a highest jump in 2020 survey. The urban region of the state will perform in a new revolutionary way, the Chief Minister said with confidence.
Mrs Mhaiskar said that Maharashtra could bag the best position in the country in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan due to the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and participation of the citizens. IN Swachh Survey 2018, 10 out of 46 cities were from the state while in the first 100 of AMRUT Cities 28 were from Maharashtra. The state alone bagged46 out of 193 prizes in Swachh Survey 2019 and 27 cities of the state got ‘Three Star’ rating out of 53 in the country. Our resolve is to make all the cities in the state “Three Star Ranking” in 2020.
Chief Minister released the book titled “Cracking of Code SS 18 and 19”. The Urban Development Department signed various MoUs with United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and German International Corporation. The Harit App prepared for publicity of Harit Compost was also released on this occasion.
