Jaipur, July 17 : Jaipur has achieved a significant milestone by entering the list of the top-20 'cleanest cities' in the country for the first time under the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25.

Jaipur Municipal Corporation Greater secured the 16th rank, while Jaipur Municipal Corporation Heritage stood at 20th among cities with a population of more than 10 lakh.

Meanwhile, Dungarpur has made Rajasthan proud by being included in the prestigious Swachh Super League of cities with a population between 20,000 to 50,000 across India.

As per the state-wise rankings, Dungarpur has been declared the cleanest city in Rajasthan, followed by Jaipur Greater at second place and Jaipur Heritage at third.

Udaipur ranked fourth, Sikar fifth, Jaisalmer sixth, Bharatpur seventh, Churu eighth, Nathdwara ninth, and Pushkar tenth.

Jaipur Municipal Corporation Greater was honoured with the title of 'Promising Clean City' in Rajasthan. Both Greater and Heritage were awarded a 3-star rating in the national survey.

Jaipur Greater earned 91 per cent in door-to-door garbage collection, 89 per cent in waste segregation, 75 per cent in waste generation and processing and 100 per cent in cleanliness of residential and commercial areas Jaipur Heritage scored 91 per cent in garbage collection, 50 per cent in segregation, 86 per cent in waste generation and processing and 100 per cent in residential and commercial area cleanliness Special recognition was given for installing separate dustbins for wet and dry waste and for ensuring the safety of sanitation workers involved in sewer and drain cleaning.

Key projects like the waste-to-energy plant and construction waste processing facilities helped both municipal bodies improve their scores significantly.

Efforts were led by former Greater Commissioner Rukmani Riyad and Heritage Commissioner Arun Kumar Hasija, focusing on removing open garbage dumps and implementing efficient waste collection systems, including night sweeping. The Swachh Survey assessed cleanliness levels based on waste management, public toilet facilities, urban beautification, and public awareness.

Both corporations emphasised citizen participation and awareness drives, contributing to the improved rankings. The award ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, where President Droupadi Murmu presented the honours to the winning cities.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was also present. Notably, in the 2023 rankings, Jaipur Greater and Heritage had ranked 173rd and 171st, respectively. Their leap into the top 20 this year marks a remarkable turnaround in the city's cleanliness standards.

/IANS