Who is Vikramaditya Singh? Himachal minister receives Swachh Survekshan award from President Murma as Theog makes it to top 20 | Today’s news
Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh received the award from President Droupadi Murma after Theog Municipal Council in Shimla district secured a place among the top 20 urban local bodies (ULBs) in the country under Swachh Survekshan 2025–26.
The award was presented at a ceremony held in New Delhi on Wednesday to recognize Theog’s performance in the field of urban hygiene and cleanliness.
City Development Department Director Neeraj Kumar was also present at the event.
Vikramaditya Singh credits the collective effort for this feat
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Speaking on the occasion, Singh said that the Himachal Pradesh government has taken concerted efforts to improve the overall performance of urban local bodies in the state as part of the annual cleanliness assessment.
He attributed Theog’s success to the dedication and joint efforts of the Urban Development Department, city officials, sanitation workers and local residents.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthen the urban cleanliness ecosystem in Himachal Pradesh.
He said the state would continue to motivate city bodies to improve sanitation standards, strengthen waste management systems and increase citizen participation in cleanliness initiatives.
“As a result of these targeted initiatives, coordinated efforts and constant monitoring by the government, Theog Municipal Council has brought laurels to the state,” Singh said.
“It also demonstrates the state government’s commitment to strengthening the city’s sanitation infrastructure, improving waste management systems, ensuring public participation and promoting sustainable cleanliness practices,” he added.
Who is Vikramaditya Singh?
Vikramaditya Singh is a descendant of the Rampur-Bushahr royal family. He was born on 17/10/1989.
He is the son of late Virbhadra Singh, who was a six-time Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. His mother, Pratibha Singh, is the president of the HP Congress Committee.
An alumnus of Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, Vikramaditya completed his history studies at Hansraj College, Delhi University in 2011.
He is currently MLA from Shimla Rural constituency.
President Murmu presents Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 awards
President Droupadi Murmu presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26 on Wednesday, recognizing India’s top performing urban local bodies and municipal corporations for their achievements in sanitation, cleanliness and waste management.
Launched by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2016, Swachh Survekshan is an annual cleanliness assessment and evaluation. It aims to encourage healthy competition between urban local bodies while promoting better hygiene, cleanliness and sustainable waste management practices.
The latest edition introduced several new categories to recognize the performance of cities across different geographic and population segments.
Ahmedabad, Indore leads the Swachh Shehar Jodi category
In the newly introduced ‘Swachh Shehar Jodi’ category, which brings together mentor and mentee cities to accelerate the improvement of urban cleanliness, Ahmedabad and Sanand secured the first position.
Indore and Depalpur finished second while Tirupati and Kuppam secured the third position.
In the Super Swachh League category, Navi in MumbaiSurat and Vijayawada emerged as the three cleanest cities in the country.
In the million-plus population category, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), Jabalpur and Lucknow were recognized as sanitation leaders.
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New awards for Himalayan, coastal and river cities
The 2025–26 edition introduced specialized recognition for riverine, coastal and Himalayan urban centres.
For the first time, the awards were presented in three new categories: Swachh River Front Town, Swachh Coastal Town and Clean Himalayan City.
A significant improvement was also noted in the assessment among smaller municipalities.
According to official data, more than 350 urban local bodies have improved their ranking by more than 500 positions compared to the previous ranking cycle.
In addition, more than 1,700 cities with a population of less than 50,000 have improved compared to 2024-25, underscoring the growing contribution of smaller urban centers to India’s cleanliness initiatives.
State award winners will be honored at separate ceremonies organized by their respective state administrations.
