Patna: The results of the Swachh Survekshan 2024, which for the first time adopted the theme of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” were declared on Thursday, revealing significant improvements in the national rankings of four major smart cities in Bihar, with the exception of the capital, Patna.
Among these cities, Gayaji emerged as the top performer, securing an impressive 27th rank nationally and the second position at the state level. Following Gayaji, Bhagalpur achieved the 64th rank nationally and the third rank within the state.
Muzaffarpur’s State Slip, National Gain
While Muzaffarpur saw a notable improvement in its national ranking, climbing to 78th nationally from 388th in 2023, it surprisingly slipped to the ninth position at the state level. In 2023, Muzaffarpur had been the second-ranked city in Bihar, trailing only Patna. This drop in state ranking has raised questions about the functioning of the local municipal corporation, despite significant investments in cleanliness resources. Smart City Bihar Sharif secured the 80th rank nationally and the 11th rank at the state level.
Questions Arise Over Muzaffarpur’s Performance
The report indicates a substantial increase in cleanliness-related resources in Bihar’s cities over the past five to seven years. While previous years saw rapid improvements in rankings, Muzaffarpur’s sudden decline in the state-level ranking has prompted scrutiny of the corporation’s operational efficiency. Despite the deployment of ultra-modern machines and a workforce of over 1500 cleaning personnel, with an annual expenditure exceeding ₹50 crore, the city’s state-level performance is deemed “very poor” compared to the last six years. This disparity has led to numerous questions, particularly concerning the monitoring and working style of officials overseeing the cleaning system.
