Arunachal's Jairampur declared ‘Promising Swachh Shehar’ in national cleanliness survey

Jairampur town in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district has been named a ‘Promising Swachh Shehar’ in the central government's annual Swachh Survekshan cleanliness survey, marking a significant milestone in the state's urban sanitation efforts.

The award was presented during a national ceremony in New Delhi by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal, in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu and other dignitaries. Representing the state, Urban Affairs Minister Balo Raja and Urban Affairs Commissioner Vivek Pandey received the honour on behalf of Arunachal Pradesh.

According to an official release, the recognition acknowledges the tireless efforts of Jairampur’s urban local body, sanitation workers, and the active participation of its residents. It further strengthens the state’s commitment to the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U).

"This is a proud moment for Arunachal Pradesh, showcasing the transformative work being carried out in even the remote urban areas of the state," the release said.

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On the national scale, Ahmedabad was declared the cleanest big city, followed by Bhopal and Lucknow. Cities like Indore, Surat, Navi Mumbai, and Vijayawada were elevated to the new ‘Super Swachh League Cities’ category for demonstrating outstanding sanitation performance.

Following the awards ceremony, Urban Affairs Minister Balo Raja attended a meeting of urban development ministers, where he appealed to the Centre to revise funding guidelines to better suit hilly and northeastern states. Raja proposed reducing the population eligibility limit to 5,000 for small towns and district headquarters, arguing that the current per capita-based models such as SBM-U and AMRUT leave many deserving towns excluded.

He also highlighted Arunachal Pradesh’s unique challenges, including its over 80% forest cover and difficult terrain, urging the Centre to provide a separate, flexible funding mechanism to support equitable urban growth in frontier regions.