Context: The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred Swachh Survekshan awards 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). 

News:

• 13 awardees received felicitations under categories of Clean Cities, Cleanest Cantonment, SafaiMitra Suraksha, Ganga Towns and Best Performing State were given away.
• This year the cleanest city award showcased joint winners. Port city Surat bagged the top honours, alongside Indore, who had conquered the top spot alone for 6 consecutive years.
• In the category of cities with a population of less than 1 lakh, Sasvad, Patan and Lonavala secured the top three spots.
• Mhow Cantonment Board in Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the Cleanest Cantonment Board.
• Varanasi and Prayagraj won the top two awards amongst the Cleanest Ganga Towns.
• Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh won the top three awards for Best Performing State.  Chandigarh walked away with the award for the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher.
• 110 awards were bestowed during the ceremony.

Swachh Survekshan

It was initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2016, serves as a competitive framework to incentivize cities to enhance urban sanitation, with large-scale citizen participation. Over the years, it has evolved into the world's largest urban sanitation survey.