Northeast shines clean: Nine cities, including Tripura’s Khowai, bag Swachh Shehar honour

Nine cities from eight northeastern states have been recognised with Ministerial Awards for Promising Swachh Shehar (Promising Clean City) under the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25, marking a significant achievement in the region’s push toward urban cleanliness.

The awarded cities are Jairampur (Arunachal Pradesh), North Lakhimpur and Guwahati (Assam), Jiribam (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Lunglei (Mizoram), Jalukie (Nagaland), Mangan (Sikkim), and Khowai (Tripura).

The awards were presented by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. A total of 34 cities across India were honoured in various categories, highlighting the country’s progress in sanitation and urban hygiene.

This year’s assessment introduced a refined and inclusive framework, particularly aimed at bridging the gap between large and small urban centres. “The smaller cities found a level playing field with the big cities in the survey. Following the ‘One City, One Award’ principle, the top-performing cities from each State were recognised as Promising Swachh Shehars,” the ministry stated.

From Tripura, Khowai city received the State-Level Promising City award. State Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy, who accepted the award, highlighted the significance of the recognition in a public statement.

“Today, I had the privilege of receiving this prestigious honour from the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Manohar Lal Khattar Ji, in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi. This is a proud chapter not only for Khowai city but for the entire state of Tripura,” Roy said on social media. “Khowai has today become a shining example for the entire state on the path to building a clean, green, and modern Tripura.”

The Swachh Survekshan Awards were divided into four main categories: Super Swachh League Cities, top three clean cities in five population categories, a special category (including Ganga Towns, Cantonment Boards, SafaiMitra Suraksha, and Mahakumbh), and State-Level Awards for Promising Clean Cities.