Govt picks 50 cities for PRAGATI-50 initiative

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has identified 50 model cities under the PRAGATI-50 initiative.

• Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal said that these 50 cities across 24 states/UTs  will emerge as clean role model cities for the rest of the country by going beyond routine sanitation work and demonstrating sustained and high-performance parameters of visible cleanliness.

• The initiative would help cities achieve the goal of Garbage Free Cities within a stipulated timeframe and enable them to emerge as role models for other urban centres. 

• It aims to drive visible improvements in urban cleanliness, solid waste management, used water management, sanitation and citizen participation through a structured framework of monitoring and review within a defined timeframe.

• States and Urban Local Bodies will prepare micro-level action plans and ensure their swift and effective implementation.

• Progress will be continuously reviewed through outcome-based assessments and technology-enabled monitoring.

• To ensure efficient monitoring, a Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI)-like digital review mechanism has been established on the Swachh Bharat Mission portal.

• Officers from the ministry will be assigned specific cities for regular supervision and handholding.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)