Telangana Drives Urban Cleanliness Through Citizen Action

More than 27.09 lakh households received door-to-door awareness on source segregation of waste and home composting, encouraging families to adopt better waste management practices.

Telangana has strengthened its urban sanitation efforts under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 by placing citizens at the centre of its cleanliness campaign. Through a structured 100-Day Action Plan carried out between 2 June and 10 September 2025, the state encouraged residents, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), women's groups and sanitation workers to work together to improve waste management, public health and environmental sustainability. The campaign focused on changing everyday habits rather than short-term clean-up activities, creating a stronger sense of responsibility towards keeping cities clean and healthy.

Door-to-door outreach and environmental efforts gain momentum

One of the campaign's biggest achievements was its extensive household outreach. More than 27.09 lakh households received door-to-door awareness on source segregation of waste and home composting, encouraging families to adopt better waste management practices.

The programme began with large public rallies involving 36,900 citizens covering nearly 250 kilometres across the state. On World Environment Day, another 13,488 people joined awareness marches stretching over 113 kilometres.

The state's environmental initiatives also included the "Amrut Mitra – Women for Trees" campaign, where 10,704 women from Self-Help Groups planted 24,708 saplings. These activities combined environmental protection with stronger community participation, especially among women.

The campaign also improved urban infrastructure by cleaning 18,351 kilometres of stormwater drains and nallahs, reducing flood risks and helping prevent waterborne diseases. Alongside this, 621 overhead drinking water tanks were cleaned, while more than 15 lakh households received awareness on seasonal disease prevention.

Sanitation workers and women's groups receive strong support

Telangana placed equal emphasis on the well-being of sanitation workers, with statewide health camps covering 25,386 frontline staff. The initiative recognised the essential role these workers play in maintaining urban cleanliness while ensuring they received regular health support.

Women's Self-Help Groups also benefited through financial assistance, with loans worth ₹1,045.04 crore distributed to 8,546 groups. Their products were promoted at food festivals and community fairs, generating sales of more than ₹77 lakh and linking sanitation campaigns with livelihood opportunities.

Building on the success of the 100-day programme, Telangana has launched a new 99-Day Action Plan running from March to June 2026. The initiative expands its focus to include sanitation, water supply, heat mitigation, citizen participation and governance reforms. The latest campaign has already reached more than 6.5 lakh households through awareness drives, organised 194 cleanliness campaigns, conducted health camps for sanitation workers and engaged over 22,000 citizens through pledge drives, reinforcing the state's commitment to cleaner, healthier and more accountable cities.