Guwahati has been selected among 50 cities across 24 States and Union Territories under the newly launched PRAGATI-50 initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

More About the News

• Launched on September 29, 2026, the initiative aims to develop selected cities into clean urban role models through measurable targets, focused interventions and technology-enabled monitoring.

What Is PRAGATI-50?

PRAGATI-50 is being implemented under Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0. It seeks to move urban sanitation beyond routine cleaning towards measurable and sustained outcomes.

The selected cities include major urban centres as well as cities important for culture, heritage, tourism, pilgrimage, administration and economic activity. They are expected to demonstrate practices that can later be replicated by other cities.

Key Focus Areas

• Visible cleanliness will be improved through targeted action in identified problem areas.
• Solid waste management will focus on better collection, segregation, processing and scientific disposal.
• Used-water management will seek better treatment and management of wastewater.
• Sanitation and hygiene will remain central to improving urban public health.
• Citizen participation will be strengthened because sustained cleanliness cannot depend only on municipal authorities.
• Technology-enabled monitoring and outcome-based reviews will track whether interventions actually produce visible improvements.

Why Is Guwahati’s Selection Important?

Guwahati is the largest urban centre in Northeast India and serves as a major gateway for trade, tourism, education and administration in the region.

Its inclusion provides an opportunity to demonstrate how urban governance, technology and citizen participation can address sanitation challenges in a rapidly growing city.

The initiative also complements the broader objective of developing Garbage Free Cities under Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0.

Who Will Implement It?

The initiative is led by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, with implementation requiring coordination among State governments, Urban Local Bodies and citizens.

Urban Local Bodies will need to prepare micro-level action plans, identify gaps and work towards clearly defined outcomes rather than limiting efforts to routine sanitation activities.

Exam Hook: Key Takeaway

PRAGATI-50 represents a shift from routine urban sanitation towards measurable, technology-enabled and outcome-based cleanliness management.

One-line wrap: Guwahati’s selection under PRAGATI-50 offers an opportunity to turn Northeast India’s gateway city into a model of cleaner, more accountable and citizen-centred urban governance.