Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal launched the PRAGATI-50 initiative on September 29.
Under it, 50 cities across 24 states will be developed as model cities for urban cleanliness.
It falls under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 framework.
The initiative uses KPI-based action and technology-enabled monitoring.
Key focus areas include solid waste management, sanitation and citizen participation.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal launched the PRAGATI-50 initiative on September 29, 2026.
Under the initiative, 50 cities across 24 states will be developed as model cities for urban cleanliness and sanitation.
It falls under the framework of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0.
The initiative aims to demonstrate a higher benchmark of Swachhata through targeted, KPI-based action.
It will use intensive, technology-enabled monitoring to track progress in the selected cities.
The 50 selected cities include major cities, cities of cultural importance, high tourism destinations and economic centres.
Key focus areas include solid waste management, used water management, sanitation and citizen participation.
The initiative uses a ‘City as a Whole’ approach, involving all stakeholders including Urban Local Bodies in planning and implementation.
A Swachhata Behaviour Change Digital Kosh was also launched alongside PRAGATI-50, offering a digital repository of communication and campaign material.
A Standard Operating Procedure for setting up secondary collection centres for construction and demolition waste was released as part of the launch.
Guidelines for source segregation of municipal solid waste were also released.
Chandigarh is among the cities set to be developed as a model city for urban cleanliness under PRAGATI-50.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs oversees urban development and sanitation programmes at the national level.
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 builds on the original Swachh Bharat Mission launched in 2014.
State governments and municipal corporations are expected to coordinate closely with the central ministry on implementation.
Swachh Bharat Mission cleanliness drive (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India
