UP Swachh Virasat Abhiyan bags HUDCO award for best practices to improve environment

Uttar Pradesh Swachh Virasat Abhiyan (clean heritage campaign) has been selected for the country’s prestigious HUDCO award for 2022-2023 under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for best practices to improve the living environment in the above-mentioned period.

The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) has announced a cash award of ₹1 lakh in the sanitation category to UP Swachh Virasat Abhiyan. Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Puri will present the award at a function to be organised at HUDCO India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi on April 25.

A state government spokesperson said, “Under the direction of UP urban development minister AK Sharma, a drive was launched to make the cities of the state ‘Good to Great’. The Swachh Virasat Abhiyan was launched with the start of the kite festival from January 14 on the Makar Sankranti festivity.”

Seventy-five tourist and historical places of the state were included in the programme. Special cleanliness drives were conducted at all the places. People were motivated to join the drive with the organisation of the activities like Nukkad Natak and puppet show, the spokesperson added.

The people participated in the drive to clean the ghats, ponds, market and other commercial areas. The campaign concluded on the occasion of UP Foundation Day on January 24. Entries were received from across the country for the prestigious award. An entry was also sent on behalf of the directorate of local bodies. After several rounds of testing, the jury board selected the Swachh Virasat campaign for field visits, the spokesperson said.

“A team of HUDCO officers from Lucknow regional office inspected several sites, including Imambara and Residency, on April 3. The Swachh Virasat campaign was selected for award in the prestigious HUDCO Award Best Practices to improve the living environment 2022-23 after several rounds of testing,” the spokesperson further said.