Guwahati: In a landmark achievement for urban governance and public hygiene in Northeast India, Guwahati has been officially recognized as Assam’s first ‘Swachh City’ at the 10th edition of the Swachh Survekshan Awards (2025–26) under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) on Wednesday, November 11.
The prestigious national honour was conferred by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, during a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Representing the state, Assam Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushik Rai accepted the accolade alongside Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Mayor Mrigen Sarania, Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA) Commissioner and Secretary Kavitha Padmanabhan, and GMC Commissioner Chinmoy Prakash Phukan.
The event was attended by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu, and Swachh Bharat Mission (Assam) Managing Director Sabyasachi Kashyap, underscoring the significance of the gateway city's transformation on the national stage.
Following the announcement, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed the milestone as a collective triumph for the state's capital, dedicating the honour to its frontline workforce and residents. "Guwahati makes its mark as Assam's first Swachh City, by receiving the Swachh Survekshan Award.
This recognition belongs to every Safai Karmi, civic worker and our citizens whose everyday efforts are helping build a cleaner Guwahati," Sarma stated, extending his gratitude to President Murmu for the recognition.
Echoing the Chief Minister’s sentiments, Minister Kaushik Rai credited Sarma’s visionary leadership and continuous guidance in strengthening Assam's civic infrastructure.
Congratulating the GMC and Team Guwahati, Rai emphasized that the accolade carries deep accountability for the future. "This recognition is not merely an award, but a renewed responsibility to make Guwahati cleaner, greener, and more beautiful," the Minister said, acknowledging the sustained efforts of departmental officials, sanitation workers, and local citizens.
Conducted annually by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the 2025–26 Swachh Survekshan assessment evaluated urban local bodies across 43 stringent parameters, including solid waste processing, door-to-door garbage collection, scientific landfill management, public toilet upkeep, and citizen feedback.
This achievement marks a steady upward trajectory for Guwahati. In the previous 2024–25 edition, the city was named a ‘Promising Swachh Shehar’ of Assam, secured a national rank of 44 in its population category, and emerged as the cleanest capital city in Northeast India.
Civic officials noted that consistent public awareness drives—such as the Guwahati Swachh Abhiyan 2.0—paired with improved source segregation and Garbage-Free City (GFC) benchmarks, played a pivotal role in elevating Guwahati into Assam’s premier clean city.