MCD Ranked 90th in Swachh Survekshan 2023: Delhi Mayor Raises Concerns

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been ranked 90th among 446 urban local bodies in the Swachh Survekshan 2023, sparking a debate over its actual position. While the survey results place MCD at 90th, the Delhi Mayors Office claims its actual ranking is 28th. Indore and Surat have been declared the cleanest cities in the country, with Navi Mumbai retaining the third position.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been ranked 90th among 446 urban local bodies with a population of more than one lakh in the Swachh Survekshan 2023 survey. The results of the survey were announced on Thursday, January 11, 2023.

MCD's Actual Ranking

The Delhi Mayor's Office, however, claims that the MCD's actual ranking is 28th among urban local bodies with a population of more than one lakh, as per the survey results.

Performance of Other Cities

Indore and Surat were adjudged the cleanest cities in the country, while Navi Mumbai retained the third position. These cities, along with the MCD, were ranked among 446 urban local bodies with a population of more than one lakh.

Participation and Methodology

According to the data shared on the website of Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023, 4,447 urban local bodies participated in the survey, and 12 core citizen responses were received. The government claims it to be the world's largest cleanliness survey.

Performance of Other Urban Local Bodies

In the category of cities with a population of less than one lakh, Maharashtra's Sasvad was awarded the cleanest city. The New Delhi Municipal Council was ranked 7th among the 446 urban local bodies, while Delhi Cantonment was ranked 7th in the cantonment board category.

Historical Context

The erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi, established in 1958, was trifurcated into the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) in 2012. In May 2022, the three civic bodies were merged again, with Gyanesh Bharti and Ashwani Kumar taking charge as its municipal commissioner and special officer, respectively.

Improvement in Cleanliness

The Mayor's Office stated that the cleanliness system in Delhi has improved compared to previous years, as confirmed by the Swachh Survekshan 2023 report. However, there is still room for further improvement.

Comparison with Previous Years

According to the Swachh Survekshan 2023 report, Delhi has been ranked 28th this year among cities with a population of more than one million. In comparison, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation was ranked 37th, the EDMC was ranked 31st, and the SDMC was ranked 28th in the Swachh Survekshan 2022 report.

Better Performance than Other Cities

The Mayor's Office highlighted that the MCD has performed better than several other major cities in terms of cleanliness, including Chennai, Kolkata, and Bangalore.

Allegations against Previous Administration

The Mayor's Office also alleged that the civic body's condition was poor during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule. The AAP unseated the BJP in the December 2022 civic polls after 15 years of BJP rule in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Historical Swachh Survekshan Rankings

The Mayor's Office provided historical Swachh Survekshan rankings for the erstwhile South MCD, North MCD, and East MCD. The rankings showed a significant improvement in recent years.

The Swachh Survekshan 2023 results indicate that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has made progress in improving cleanliness, but there is still scope for further enhancement. The city's performance in comparison to other major cities is noteworthy, and the efforts of the current administration to improve sanitation and cleanliness are commendable.