Gujarat declares 2025 as 'Year of Urban Development', honours cleanest cities at statewide ceremony

Gandhinagar, (Gujarat) [India] October 9 (ANI): Gujarat has officially declared 2025 as the Year of Urban Development, marking two decades since the launch of the Well-Planned City Development Project initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2005.
The project laid the foundation for Gujarat's transformation into a modern, sustainable urban state. To celebrate this milestone, the Urban Development Department recently organised a statewide award ceremony at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar to honour cities excelling in cleanliness under the "2.2" initiative.

M. Nagarajan, Mission Director of Cleaner Mission India-Urban, said, "Along with the Swachh Bharat initiative, we organised an award competition under Nirmal Gujarat. The municipalities and corporations that won were felicitated today. Next year, during the Swachhata Survekshan 2025, Gujarat will perform even better."
At the ceremony, Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation was recognised as the cleanest city in the 3-10 lakh population category, while Surat received the first Nirmal Gujarat Award.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel praised citizens for their active participation and highlighted the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission. JN Vaghela, Commissioner of Gandhinagar, dedicated the city's top ranking to "the Swachhata Yodhas of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, the citizens of Gandhinagar, and all its stakeholders."
Shalini Agarwal, Commissioner of Surat, said, "Under the guidance of the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat, the Surat Municipal Corporation, together with the citizens of Surat, is carrying forward cleanliness as a mass movement. In both the last year and this year, Surat city has secured the top position in the Swachh Bharat Mission awards at the national level."
As part of the Urban Development Year, Gujarat has sanctioned ₹8,220 crores for urban transformation, including the Vikas Path project to modernise 91 roads and the ongoing development of the Sabarmati Riverfront.
The 2025 agenda prioritises housing, mobility, and citizen services, aiming to promote smart governance, green infrastructure, and inclusive growth, to create technologically advanced, eco-friendly, and equitable cities across the state. (ANI)