VIJAYAWADA: Highlighting the State’s ambitious sanitation goals, the Chief Minister announced that Andhra Pradesh aims to become a Zero-Waste (Garbage Free State by January 1 2026. He also revealed that 100 Swachh Raths (Cleanliness Vehicles) will soon be introduced to strengthen waste management systems across cities and towns and asked to ensure cleanliness in every office, every street, and every neighbourhood. Clean surroundings are essential for a healthy society, he emphasised.
The Chief Minister on Monday participated in the State-level Swachh Andhra Awards 2025 distribution ceremony held in Vijayawada. The Swachh Andhra Corporation presented 75 awards in 21 categories at the State level and 1,257 awards at the district level.
Addressing the occasion, CM Chandrababu Naidu said that the previous government had imposed a garbage tax and neglected garbage clearance, resulting in the accumulation of 85 lakh metric tonnes of garbage across the State, including in Tirumala.
He commended various cities of Andhra Pradesh that won national-level Swachhta awards and said that achieving ‘Swachhandhra’ is a key step toward realising the vision of ‘Swarna Andhra’.
The NDA government abolished the garbage tax immediately after coming to power and set a target to clear the 85 lakh metric tonnes of garbage by October 2, he added.
“They imposed a garbage tax but left the garbage untouched. We cancelled that tax and removed the waste too,” he remarked and added that the remaining 30 lakh metric tonnes of garbage would also be cleared by December.
The Chief Minister recalled that he had launched the Clean and Green programme in 1998 for the first time in the country. He said he had visited Singapore to study its clean and green programme and later implemented the Night Sanitation Programme in Hyderabad.
Stating that cleanliness is a shared responsibility, the Chief Minister noted that students are being motivated through Green Passports to plant saplings. He added that the third Saturday of every month is being observed as Swachh Andhra Day.
The Chief Minister applauded sanitation workers, calling them the true heroes of society. “Those who drive away filth are real warriors. Just as soldiers eliminated terrorists under Operation Sindoor, sanitation workers risk their health every day to ensure public cleanliness,” he said.
The Chief Minister further underlined the State’s sustainable development approach, stating, “We are adopting a Use-Recover-Reuse policy instead of a Use and Throw mindset.
Minister for Municipal Administration P Narayana, Swachh Andhra Corporation Chairman K Pattabhiram, MAUD Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar, NTR District Collector G Lakshmisha, VMC Commissioner Dhyana Chandra HM and others participated.
