Gurgaon: MCG to reward cleanest wards, residents’ welfare associations

MCG officials said the move would give residents the incentive keep their premises clean

In an incentive for residents to keep their premises clean and, in the process, ensure cleanliness of their neighbourhoods, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has announced cash rewards for wards and residents’ welfare associations that are deemed to have done better than the rest in this regard.

The move holds significance as the city ranked a distant 112 out of 434 cities covered in the third edition of the Swachh Bharat cleanliness survey. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

The awards will be given out on June 4, as part of the Shehri Swachhta Puraskar Yojana. While the cleanest ward will receive a cash reward of ₹2 lakh, the RWA voted the best will get a reward of ₹50,000.

The move holds significance as the city ranked a distant 112 out of 434 cities covered in the third edition of the Swachh Bharat cleanliness survey. Conducted by the Union urban development ministry, the survey was a pointer to the city’s lack of progress on the cleanliness front and the fact that it still has a lot of ground to cover to move up the ranks.

Anu Sheokhand, the joint commissioner, has been appointed the Nodal officer for identifying areas across the city and compiling a list of the cleanest wards and RWAs which have regularly tied up with the MCG to launch cleanliness initiatives.

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The MCG officials said that the list of the cleanest wards and RWAs will be forwarded to deputy commissioner Hardeep Singh for evaluation. A committee appointed by him will pick the winners.

“The cash rewards handed out to the cleanest wards and RWAs will serve as an incentive for residents to keep their premises dirt-free and contribute to improving the city’s ambience,” SS Rohilla, MCG spokesperson, said.

MCG officials said the Shehri Swachhta Puraskar Yojana is part of the 10-day long ‘Swachhta Divas’, which will feature a host of events topped by a sanitation drive that is to be launched on May 28. Among the other events lined up during the campaign is a Swachhata Oath ceremony and it will culminate with a Solid Waste Segregation Campaign on June 6.

The Swachh Divas will be conducted at the behest of the city’s urban local bodies (ULBs).