Clean City Jodi Initiative: The Clean City Jodi (SSJ) initiative was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) as part of India’s urban sanitation efforts. The Ministry will support and provide technical and financial support to states through strategic guidance and capacity building initiatives. The role of citizens in the SSJ initiative will not be limited to municipal bodies, but will also ensure active participation of civil society, local organizations, and youth.
What is the Clean City Pair (SSJ)?
- It is a structured mentorship and collaborative program. Protector cities are those that have consistently performed well in the Swachh Survekshan, and trainee cities are those that need to improve their performance. The program is based on their geographic proximity and recent survey rankings.
- This initiative aims to strengthen sanitation management, solid waste disposal, and community participation in urban areas of India.
- Urban sanitation covers eight key themes: cleanliness, waste segregation, scientific waste management, toilets, water and sewerage facilities, mechanical cleaning, citizen awareness, and grievance redressal.
- It aims to improve waste management in cities and work towards achieving 100% solid waste management in the country.
- 72 top-performing mentor cities based on Swachh Survekshan rankings have been paired with approximately 200 low-performing mentor-trained cities.
- The SSJ initiative focuses on knowledge sharing, peer learning, and emulation of best practices.
Key Features
- Top-performing (Mentor) cities guide low-performing (Mentor) cities through experience sharing and action planning.
- This is a 100-day program with action plans and goals. During this period, mentor and training cities will conduct joint workshops, field visits, and knowledge transfer programs.
- Nationwide engagement: Nearly 300 MoUs were signed with city officials and leaders.
- The program will be evaluated during the upcoming Swachh Survekshan 2026.
Significance
- One of India’s largest urban waste management guidance frameworks.
- It helps promote experience and citizen engagement in underperforming cities.
- Enables replication of successful sanitation practices and promotes peer learning.
- Supports sustainable urban transformation in cities.
The Clean City Pair initiative is not just a government mission, but a civic responsibility. With a commitment to leaving no city behind, this initiative improves urban sanitation by promoting the replication of best practices. The mentorship-training pairing system will also serve as the largest platform for knowledge sharing and experience exchange.