Raipur: Chhattisgarh‘s Raipur and Bilaspur have been selected among 50 cities across 24 states under the Centre’s PRAGATI-50 initiative, which aims to develop model cities for urban cleanliness through measurable targets, technology-enabled monitoring and time-bound implementation.
Launched by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on September 29, the initiative operates under the framework of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0. It seeks to improve solid waste management, sanitation, used-water management and citizen participation in selected cities.
Following the selection, the Chhattisgarh Urban Administration Department has directed the two municipal corporations to establish dedicated implementation teams and prepare action plans based on the prescribed Key Performance Indicator (KPI) framework.
Raipur and Bilaspur Given Time-Bound Implementation Schedule
The two municipal corporations have been asked to follow a phased schedule to assess existing sanitation arrangements and identify areas requiring improvement.
The key deadlines include:
- Within 7 days: Formation of PRAGATI-50 teams at the municipal level.
- Within 15 days: Completion of a ward-wise baseline assessment of solid waste management, sanitation facilities, public toilets and used-water management.
- Within 30 days: Preparation of a comprehensive action plan with short-, medium- and long-term targets, responsible officers, timelines and identified funding sources.
The municipal teams will coordinate implementation and monitoring. The respective District Collectors will head the teams, while an officer at the Additional Commissioner level will be designated as the nodal officer.
48 Indicators to Measure Cleanliness and Sanitation Performance
The programme follows a KPI-based framework covering 48 indicators. Both cities will be required to record progress regularly on the Swachhatam Portal.
The assessment will cover several aspects of urban sanitation, including:
- Door-to-door waste collection and transportation.
- Segregation, processing and scientific disposal of solid waste.
- Management of construction and demolition waste.
- Used-water and wastewater management.
- Maintenance of public toilets and sanitation facilities.
- Cleanliness of roads, markets and other public spaces.
- Citizen participation and grievance-related measures.
The framework is intended to assess measurable improvements rather than relying only on routine sanitation activities.
Focus on Waste Collection, Public Spaces and Night Cleaning
The action plans will also address sanitation gaps in residential, commercial and high-footfall areas.
Among the measures outlined under the initiative are:
- Strengthening door-to-door garbage collection and segregation at source.
- Introducing digital tracking of waste collection and transportation.
- Ensuring proper registration and waste processing by bulk waste generators.
- Improving the collection and processing of construction and demolition waste.
- Establishing at least one Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) centre in each city.
- Arranging night-time cleaning and at least twice-daily waste collection in busy areas such as railway stations, bus stands, markets and hospitals.
- Improving the cleanliness of drains, water bodies and public spaces.
- Addressing garbage-sensitive locations and ensuring public toilets remain functional.
The cities will also have to assign responsibilities for sanitation in areas such as railway colonies and industrial locations that may fall outside the direct jurisdiction of municipal bodies.
Municipal Corporations to Mobilise Funds from Multiple Sources
The implementation of PRAGATI-50 will require the two municipal corporations to identify and mobilise resources through available funding mechanisms.
The sources listed for financing sanitation-related improvements include:
- Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0.
- Municipal corporations’ own revenue.
- Grants under the 16th Finance Commission.
- Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding.
- Urban Challenge Fund.
The Centre has not announced a separate additional fund exclusively for the two cities under PRAGATI-50. Municipal bodies will therefore need to plan expenditure using available schemes, revenues and other permitted sources.
Regular Reviews to Track Progress
The initiative provides for monitoring at municipal, state and national levels. Municipal-level progress will be reviewed weekly, while the state will conduct reviews every 15 days. National-level assessments will take place monthly or at intervals prescribed under the programme.
Data entered by municipal bodies on the Swachhatam Portal will support performance monitoring, while field-level verification will help assess whether reported improvements are reflected on the ground.
With Raipur and Bilaspur included in the national initiative, the focus will now be on translating the prescribed indicators and timelines into measurable improvements in waste management, sanitation infrastructure and cleanliness across the two cities.
