Delhi Announces Rs 1 Crore Monthly Reward for Cleanest Municipal Ward
Delhi's cleanest municipal ward will receive Rs 1 crore every month under a new year-long competition announced by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi headquarters on Monday.
The incentive was unveiled during the launch of the 'Delhi Ko Kude Se Azadi-Swachhta Abhiyan 2026' campaign. Under the scheme, a top-performing ward could secure up to Rs 12 crore in Chief Minister's Development Fund (CMDF) allocations over the course of the year. However, officials noted that a single verified garbage complaint from residents or social media could disqualify a ward from the race.
Wards will be evaluated through assessments conducted by an independent agency, official inspection reports, and feedback submitted by the public. The Chief Minister stated that the initiative links funding directly to sanitation performance, aiming to eliminate persistent garbage piles and landfill accumulation across the city.
The broader cleanliness drive will run until October 2, while the ward-level competition will continue for 12 months. The campaign focuses on four key pillars of waste management: collection, cleaning, conversion, and circular economy. Key measures include waste segregation at source, regular clearance of garbage collection points, and systematic processing at waste management facilities.
Several targeted sanitation drives have been scheduled across the capital. Special cleaning drives in slum clusters are slated for August 23, August 30, September 6, and September 13. Public toilets will undergo intensive cleaning on Saturdays and Sundays. Green waste removal in parks will occur between September 1 and September 10, followed by a sanitation drive across government hospitals on September 17.
Government schools will also participate in a 'Mera School, Sabse Sundar' competition alongside a zero-waste campus initiative from September 17 to October 2.
To support the campaign, the government is introducing 70 mechanical sweeping machines, additional litter-picker vehicles for municipal wards, and 125 secondary collection centres for construction and demolition waste. The Urban Development Department has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Council, and the Delhi Cantonment Board to prepare comprehensive action plans for markets, transit corridors, and public spaces, with weekly progress reports due every Monday.
