VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday lauded municipal administrations across the State after Andhra Pradesh registered its best-ever performance in the national Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan (SVS) 2026 rankings, while directing District Collectors to intensify time-bound clean-air interventions.
Reviewing the performance of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) on the second day of the District Collectors’ Conference at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister noted that 8 of the state’s 13 Non-Attainment Cities registered marked improvements in their All-India rankings over the previous assessment cycle.
Eluru posted the sharpest rise nationally, leaping from 31st rank in 2025 to 4th rank in 2026. Guntur emerged as the top performer in the state, securing 2nd rank nationally in Category-II (3–10 lakh population).
Vijayawada moved up to 8th rank nationally (from 13th), while Nellore advanced to 9th rank (from 18th). Notable progress was also recorded in Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Chittoor, and Anantapur.
Overall, Andhra Pradesh bagged five national and state-level awards totalling Rs 1.05 crore in prize money. At the national level, Guntur secured 2nd rank in Category-II with a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, while Vijayawada’s Ward-60 bagged 2nd rank nationally in the ward-level category (10,000–30,000 population) with a Rs 30 lakh cash prize.
Additional state-level ward awards were bagged by Guntur (Rs 25 lakh), Vijayawada (Rs 15 lakh), and Nellore (Rs 10 lakh). The national honours were formally presented on Swachh Vayu Diwas on September 7 in New Delhi.
Directing Collectors in cities with static or declining rankings to map local pollution sources and fix implementation gaps, Naidu urged officers to view clean air as a fundamental public health necessity rather than a mere ranking metric.
He tasked district administrations with deploying data-driven monitoring, strict enforcement, and multi-departmental coordination to elevate every city in Andhra Pradesh to top standards on the liveability index.
AP wins 5 national & State-level awards
Andhra Pradesh won five national and State-level clean-air awards worth Rs 1.05 crore. Guntur ranked second nationally, while Vijayawada’s Ward-60 also secured second place, winning Rs 30 lakh
