Raipur, July 27, 2025//
Chhattisgarh’s Nagar Panchayat Bilha, achieving a historic feat in the field of cleanliness, has secured the first position in India in the category of cities with a population of less than 20,000 in the Swachhata Survekshan 2024-25. For this achievement, on July 17, 2025, in a grand award ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the Bilha Nagar Panchayat was honored by the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu. Today, the echo of this glorious achievement reached the national stage of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, when Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in the 124th edition of his monthly radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’, mentioned the innovation and labor done by the women of Bilha Nagar Panchayat and appreciated it.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that the women of Bilha were given training in waste management and together they changed the picture of the city. This mention is a moment of pride for the entire Chhattisgarh, which has adopted cleanliness not only as a government plan but also as a community movement.
The population of Nagar Panchayat Bilha is approximately 15,000, where 28 Swachhta Didis (cleanliness sisters) are employed. These Didis go door-to-door in the 15 wards of the city and collect waste through e-rickshaws and then take the waste to the SLRM center and separate wet and dry waste. Compost is made from wet waste and by selling dry waste, these women are becoming financially self-reliant. In addition, 10 special Swachhta Commandos have also been appointed in Bilha city, who are going around the city through tractors and auto tippers and are working on waste cleaning and public awareness. With steps like public awareness campaigns, announcements, and direct waste collection from houses and shops, the residents of the city have been motivated to separate the waste and give it in e-rickshaws. Collective cleanliness drives are also conducted from time to time in Muktidham, ponds, gardens, community buildings etc. The credit for this success goes to all the sanitation workers, Swachhta Didis, officers, employees of the Nagar Panchayat and the positively thinking public representatives, who are working with continuous inspection and commitment.
It is noteworthy that there are more than 2000 urban bodies with a population of less than 20,000 in India. This honor was given on the basis of the testing of the cleanliness system by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, through independent agencies, which included door-to-door garbage collection, road sweeping, night sweeping, waste disposal, cleaning व्यवस्था of toilets and parks including feedback from the public.
On this occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Arun Sao, President of Nagar Panchayat Bilha Smt. Vandana Jendre, Chief Municipal Officer Shri Praveen Singh Gehlot, Vice President Shri Satish Sharma, PIC member Shri Mohan Dhoria, then Deputy Engineer Shri Narendra Dubey, Sanitation Inspector Shri Yashwant Singh, Sanitation Supervisor Shri Rakesh Dagor, Swachhta Didi Smt. Pooja Rathore and PIU Shri Ankit Dubey were specially present.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai, while congratulating on this achievement, said that the record set by Bilha Nagar Panchayat in the field of cleanliness is a matter of pride for the entire Chhattisgarh. By securing the first position in the cities with a population of less than 20,000 across the country in the Swachhata Survekshan 2024-25 of the Government of India, Bilha has not only increased the pride of the state, but has also proved that any goal can be achieved with determination, participation and a sense of service. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s praise of the women of Bilha and their cleanliness innovation in the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program makes this achievement historic at the national level. This is a moment of pride for the entire Chhattisgarh.
Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Administration Minister Shri Arun Sao said that Bilha Nagar Panchayat has increased the pride of Chhattisgarh in the whole country by securing the first position in India in the Swachhata Survekshan 2024-25. This success is a living example of the commitment, working style and public participation of our urban bodies. This achievement will also give new inspiration to other urban bodies of the state and we will all work together to keep Chhattisgarh among the leading states in cleanliness.