The latest Swachh Survekshan (SS) 2024-2025 rankings reveal significant progress by Uttar Pradesh in urban sanitation and cleanliness. The state has demonstrated notable improvements across key indicators, including Water+ certification, ODF++ coverage, and the number of Garbage Free Cities (GFCs), when compared to the SS 2023 results.
In 2024, sixteen cities achieved Water+ status, a substantial increase from two in 2023, reflecting improved wastewater management. The number of cities certified as ODF++ also saw a considerable rise, growing from 129 to 337, demonstrating enhanced fecal sludge and septage management.
The state’s performance in GFC ratings has also improved. Lucknow achieved 7-star status, with six other cities receiving 5-star ratings. The total number of GFCs increased by 18, reaching 83.
In the million-plus cities category, Lucknow ranked in the Top 3 nationally. Cities in other population categories also performed well, with Gorakhpur and Moradabad showing strong results. Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna acknowledged the improvement, particularly emphasizing Lucknow’s jump in ranking.