Who is Vikramaditya Singh? Himachal minister receives Swachh Survekshan award from President Murmu as Theog makes top 20

Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh received an award from President Droupadi Murmu after Theog Municipal Council in Shimla district secured a place among the country's top 20 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) under the Swachh Survekshan 2025–26.

The award was presented at a ceremony held in New Delhi on Wednesday, recognising Theog's performance in urban sanitation and cleanliness.

Director of the Urban Development Department Neeraj Kumar was also present at the event.

Vikramaditya Singh credits collective efforts for the feat

Speaking on the occasion, Singh said the Himachal Pradesh government had undertaken concerted efforts to improve the overall performance of urban local bodies in the state under the annual cleanliness assessment.

He attributed Theog's achievement to the dedication and collective efforts of the Urban Development Department, municipal authorities, sanitation workers and local residents.

The minister reiterated the government's commitment to strengthening the urban cleanliness ecosystem across Himachal Pradesh.

He said the state would continue motivating municipal bodies to improve sanitation standards, strengthen waste management systems and increase citizen participation in cleanliness initiatives.

“As a result of these focused initiatives, coordinated efforts and continuous monitoring by the government, Municipal Council, Theog, has brought laurels to the state,” Singh said.

“It also demonstrates the state government’s commitment to strengthening urban sanitation infrastructure, improving waste management systems, ensuring public participation and promoting sustainable cleanliness practices,” he added.

Who is Vikramaditya Singh?

Vikramaditya Singh is the scion of the Rampur-Bushahr royal family. He was born on October 17, 1989.

He is the son of the late Virbhadra Singh, who was a six-time Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister. His mother, Pratibha Singh, is the president of the HP Congress Committee.

Vikramaditya, an alumnus of Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, completed his graduation in History in 2011 from Hansraj College, Delhi University.

He is presently the MLA from Shimla Rural constituency.

President Murmu presents Swachh Survekshan 2025–26 awards

President Droupadi Murmu presented the Swachh Survekshan 2025–26 awards on Wednesday, recognising India's best-performing urban local bodies and municipal corporations for their achievements in sanitation, cleanliness and waste management.

Launched in 2016 by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Swachh Survekshan is an annual cleanliness assessment and ranking exercise. It aims to encourage healthy competition among urban local bodies while promoting improved sanitation, cleanliness and sustainable waste management practices.

The latest edition introduced several new categories to recognise the performance of cities across different geographical and population segments.

Ahmedabad, Indore lead Swachh Shehar Jodi category

In the newly introduced 'Swachh Shehar Jodi' category, which pairs mentor and mentee cities to accelerate improvements in urban cleanliness, Ahmedabad and Sanand secured the first position.

Indore and Depalpur finished second, while Tirupati and Kuppam secured the third position.

Under the Super Swachh League category, Navi Mumbai, Surat and Vijayawada emerged as the country's three cleanest cities.

In the million-plus population category, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), Jabalpur and Lucknow were recognised as the leading sanitation performers.

New awards for Himalayan, coastal and riverfront cities

The 2025–26 edition introduced specialised recognition for riverfront, coastal and Himalayan urban centres.

For the first time, awards were presented in three new categories: Swachh River Front Town, Swachh Coastal Town and Clean Himalayan City.

The assessment also recorded significant improvements among smaller municipalities.

According to official data, more than 350 urban local bodies improved their rankings by over 500 positions compared with the previous assessment cycle.

Additionally, more than 1,700 cities with populations below 50,000 improved their standings compared with 2024–25, highlighting the growing contribution of smaller urban centres to India's cleanliness initiatives.

State-level award winners will be recognised at separate ceremonies organised by their respective state administrations.