Assam govt prepares roadmap for statewide cleanliness drive

Guwahati, Aug 12 (IANS) 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

tdr/dan