Itanagar, Oct 3: The Government of Arunachal Pradesh today observed Swachh Bharat Diwas 2025 with a grand state-level celebration at the Golden Jubilee Banquet Hall, Niti Vihar, Itanagar. The programme, organised jointly by the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies and the Department of Public Health Engineering & Water Supply, was graced by the Governor, Lt. General K. T. Parnaik (Retd.), as Chief Guest, alongside the Chief Minister, Pema Khandu. Also in attendance was Minister for Urban Affairs,  Balo Raja, among other dignitaries.
The programme commenced with floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Udyan, followed by a ceremonial gathering at the Banquet Hall. The highlight of the day was the State Swachhata Awards 2025, which honoured Urban Local Bodies, SafaiMitras, community groups, Self Help Groups, NGOs and partner organisations for their exceptional contributions towards sanitation and cleanliness. The awards were presented across multiple categories, including Transformation of Cleanliness Target Units, Clean Public Spaces, Advocacy for Swachhata, and Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs. Both urban and rural bodies were recognised, and importantly, the awards were conferred strictly on the basis of performance as recorded in the Swachhata Portal, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Jairampur town in Changlang district, already a proud recipient of the national-level Promising Swachh Sheharaward, was specially acknowledged. Thirteen towns of Arunachal Pradesh were also presented with ODF+ certificates awarded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. In total, seventy-two awards were distributed, marking an unprecedented recognition of the diverse stakeholders who are driving the State’s cleanliness mission forward.  
In his keynote address, the Governor commended the tireless efforts of sanitation workers both urban and rural, officials, and Urban Local Bodies, noting that the awards reflected not only institutional progress but also the spirit of community participation. He urged citizens to adopt cleanliness as an everyday civic duty, stressing that true transformation can only be achieved when society at large recognises the dignity of labour and embraces sanitation as a shared responsibility.
The Chief Minister, in his remarks, reiterated that cleanliness is not the responsibility of the government or sanitation workers alone, but a collective endeavour that requires teamwork and active involvement of all sections of society. He called upon citizens to strengthen this mission by working hand in hand with the administration. The Chief Secretary also emphasised the need for community ownership and institutional support in sustaining the achievements made under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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