HYDERABAD: The state of Telangana is the only state in India to receive the Swachh Bharat award for the third time in a row. Karimnagar district is placed at the third spot in the ‘districts’ category. The Swachh Bharat awards are given every year to states, districts, blocks and village panchayats under the ‘drinking water’ and ‘cleanliness’ categories. The awards will be distributed on October 2 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Minister of Panchayat and Rural Development, Government of Telangana, credited this achievement to ‘Palle’ and ‘Pattana Pragathi’ programmes implemented by K Chandrashekhar Rao, Chief Minister, Telangana.
Government of India launched three schemes in the state, namely, Swachh Sundar Samudayak Shouchalaya, Samudayak Shouchalaya Abhyan and Gandagi Mukth Bharat. Yugal Kishore Joshi, Director, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, said that the state has implemented all three schemes. He added that Telangana has produced significant results due to the three abhyans and have managed to remain at the top of the table.
This year the awards will be virtually given by Gajendra Shekhawat, Minister of Jal Shakti, Government of India, and the ceremony will be streamed online.