New Delhi, July 17 : Ahmedabad, which ascended to the pinnacle of the million-plus category, was declared the cleanest metropolis in India.

Bhopal and Lucknow followed in close succession, while Indore, having sustained its preeminence for eight consecutive years, was elevated to the newly instituted Super Swachh League, a distinct rank reserved for cities of enduring excellence and broader renaissance in municipal stewardship.

The Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards were conferred on Thursday at Vigyan Bhawan by President Droupadi Murmu.

The ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, marked a decade of progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission and honoured 78 cities across population brackets.

Bhopal and Lucknow followed Ahmedabad in the rankings, while Indore retained its national title for the eighth consecutive year and joined Surat and Navi Mumbai in the newly introduced Super Swachh League.

Among the 43 national awards presented, Prayagraj received special recognition for its exemplary waste management during the Maha Kumbh, which recorded 66 crore footfalls.

Prayagraj was also named Best Ganga Town, while Secunderabad Cantonment received the award for Best Cantonment Board.

Noida, Chandigarh and Mysuru led the 3'10 lakh population category.

Visakhapatnam, Jabalpur and Gorakhpur were honoured as Best 'Safai Mitra Surakshit Shehar' for their commitment to sanitation worker safety and dignity.

The ceremony recognised 78 cities across population categories. A total of 43 national awards were presented.

The President lauded the Ministry's emphasis on the 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' approach and praised the waste-to-wealth memento ' a Sarangi (an Indian musical instrument), crafted from discarded materials.

She spoke of the circular economy as a crucible for youth empowerment, green employment and entrepreneurial vigour.

Commending cities with populations below one lakh, she noted their exemplary standards in cleanliness and innovation.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced the launch of the Swachh City Partnership initiative, under which each top-performing city will mentor a lower-ranked city from its state.

He also unveiled the 'Accelerated Dumpsite Remediation Programme', a one-year campaign, beginning August 15, to fast-track legacy waste removal and expand scientific waste processing. Secretary Srinivas Katikithala reflected on the journey of Swachh Bharat, noting how sanitation has become embedded in citizens' values.

The survey's recalibrated framework, featuring ten new parameters and five population tiers, has enabled equitable competition among cities of varying scale.

The event concluded with the digital launch of the 'Swachh Survekshan Results Dashboard' and audio-visual presentations showcasing the achievements of Super Swachh League Cities.

In a statement from Spain, where he is courting investment for Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hailed the state's performance.

He lauded the efforts of sanitation workers and other employees on his X handle and hailed Indore's continued dominance, Ujjain's triumph in the mid-sized category, and Budni's distinction among the smallest towns.

Bhopal's second-place national ranking, alongside accolades for Jabalpur and Gwalior, further affirmed the state's commitment to urban excellence.

/IANS