Bilha, a Nagar Panchayat in Chhattisgarh, has achieved a remarkable feat, securing the top position nationwide in the Swachhata Survekshan 2024-25 among towns with populations under 20,000. The achievement was celebrated at a prestigious award ceremony held on July 17, 2025, in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, where the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, honored Bilha Nagar Panchayat. The innovative efforts of the women of Bilha, specifically in waste management, were also acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio program, ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
Bilha, with a population of approximately 15,000, has 28 sanitation workers who collect waste door-to-door using e-rickshaws, separating wet and dry waste at a Solid and Liquid Resource Management (SLRM) center. The wet waste is composted, while the dry waste is sold, empowering the women economically. The town also has 10 sanitation commandos who use tractors and auto tippers for waste management and public awareness. The success is attributed to the combined efforts of sanitation workers, officials, employees, and the proactive local representatives.
The honor was granted based on an evaluation by independent agencies of the Ministry of Urban Development, which considered factors like door-to-door waste collection, road sweeping, waste disposal, and cleanliness of public spaces. Dignitaries present at the award ceremony included Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao and Nagar Panchayat officials. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao have expressed their congratulations, emphasizing the achievement’s significance for Chhattisgarh and its role in inspiring other urban bodies. The acknowledgment by PM Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has elevated this achievement to a national level.