Jodi No. 1: Ahmedabad, Sanand are India’s cleanest pair of cities in Swachh awards

In India's Swachh Survekshan 2025-26, Ahmedabad and its satellite town Sanand secured the top spot in the 'Clean City Pair' category, with Ahmedabad serving as the 'Mentor City' and Sanand as the 'Mentee'. This national honor was awarded to the cities by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony in New Delhi on November 11. The accolade recognizes the collaborative efforts of the two cities in maintaining high sanitation standards.

Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot praised the tireless efforts of the city's sanitation workers and other stakeholders, promising to further intensify cleanliness and environmental conservation initiatives. He emphasized the importance of citizens participating in cleanliness efforts and proper waste segregation.

In the 'Clean Cities of Super Swachh League' category, Surat claimed the second position nationally, behind Navi Mumbai and ahead of Vijayawada. This award honors cities that have consistently achieved high sanitation standards over multiple years, judged by tougher indicators.

The Swachh Shehar Jodi award, introduced in 2024-25, aims to promote knowledge sharing and best practices among cities through a 'Each One, Teach One' model, drawing inspiration from the traditional Guru-Shishya learning system. The award reflects the joint performance and collaborative efforts of the mentor and mentee cities, recognizing mentorship outcomes alongside overall cleanliness and service delivery improvements.