Raipur: In a moment of immense pride for Chhattisgarh, the Bilha Nagar Panchayat has secured the first position in the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 under the category of cities with population less than 20,000 across the country. This historic feat was honoured at a grand award ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on July 17, where President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to Bilha Nagar Panchayat.
The pride echoed even louder today as the achievement was recognised on the national platform of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 124th episode of his monthly radio address, lauded the innovation and hard work of the women of Bilha Nagar Panchayat in the field of cleanliness and waste management.
PM Modi stated that the women of Bilha were trained in waste management, and through their collective efforts, they transformed the face of the town. He highlighted it as a matter of pride for all of Chhattisgarh, which has embraced cleanliness not just as a government campaign but as a true community movement.
Bilha Nagar Panchayat, with a population of approximately 15,000, has 28 'Swachhata Didis' (Cleanliness Sisters) working on the ground. These women conduct door-to-door waste collection across 15 wards of the city using e-rickshaws and transport the waste to the SLRM Centre, where wet and dry waste are meticulously segregated. While compost is made from organic waste, dry waste is sold – enabling these women to become economically self-reliant.