Patna: Patna has secured fourth place in citizen feedback in the national cleanliness rankings, according to Patna Municipal Commissioner Animesh Kumar Parashar. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Parashar announced that the city has been invited to the Swachh Survekshan Awards ceremony, to be held on July 17 at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, where the President of India, Union ministers and other dignitaries will felicitate top-performing cities.
While the exact national ranking will be revealed at the ceremony, the commissioner confirmed that the invitation confirms Patna’s strong performance in this year’s survey. Notably, Patna was also honoured in 2023.
Highlighting the city’s progress, Parashar credited a series of civic innovations for the achievement. These included the launch of a ‘manhole ambulance’ — a first for the city — and public awareness campaigns at garbage collection points. A blacklist of habitual litterers was created, and a monitoring committee was established to involve citizens directly. The initiative’s tagline, “My city, my accountability,” aimed to foster a collective sense of responsibility.
“This city doesn’t belong to just the corporation staff. With a population of nearly 30 lakh, if every citizen participates in both complaints and solutions, we can transform Patna,” he said. Last year, the city received a one-star rating in the Swachh Survekshan; officials hope to see an improvement this year.
Patna has also invested significantly in digital infrastructure to support sanitation and urban management. A wireless network system, powered by GPS, now links 75 inspectors across municipal wards, providing real-time data. The system is integrated with the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), and automation support has been developed in collaboration with IIT Delhi.
In a bid to improve tax collection and citizen convenience, property tax payments are now enabled via WhatsApp. Women appointed as ‘Swachhanginis’ have also been trained and empowered as part of the campaign.
Looking ahead, Parashar emphasised the city’s proactive approach to seasonal issues. Unlike several other urban centres, Patna did not suffer major waterlogging this year, due to pre-monsoon planning. The city is also developing ‘Nagar Netra’, an AI-powered monitoring system that will report road conditions and civic issues in real time.
The commissioner credited Patna’s nearly 8,000 municipal employees for the success, calling the recognition “a result of collective effort and innovation.”
