Chandigarh, September 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Government has extended its state-wide ‘Cleanliness Campaign 2.0’ till September 12 following an overwhelming public response and the resolution of more than 83 per cent of civic complaints received through the M-Seva app, Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced on Tuesday.
Bains also announced four mega cleanliness drives to be organised over the next four Saturdays across all 166 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state to strengthen and institutionalise citizen participation in cleanliness initiatives.
The special campaign, launched on August 29, covers all 166 ULBs, including 14 Municipal Corporations and 152 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats.
Addressing a press conference at MC Bhawan, Bains said citizens had submitted 6,459 complaints through the M-Seva app, of which 5,407, or more than 83 per cent, had been resolved on the ground.
He said the decision to extend the campaign was taken following a significant increase in citizen participation and a surge in complaints received through the app on the final day of the campaign.
“Punjab is the sacred land of Gurus, saints and martyrs, and keeping it clean is our collective duty. This campaign has proven that without active public participation, sustainable cleanliness is impossible. We are not merely disposing of garbage, we are reshaping the future of urban Punjab,” Bains said.
The Minister said the government would now work towards institutionalising citizen participation beyond the ongoing campaign.
The four mega cleanliness drives will begin on September 12 and be organised in collaboration with NGOs, market associations, youth clubs, religious organisations and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs).
“We appeal to every citizen to spare just two to three hours on Saturday morning and join us in cleaning our parks, markets and neighbourhoods,” Bains said.
He said the Local Government Department had rolled out a comprehensive door-to-door garbage collection system across all cities to prevent the recurrence of Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs).
Bains urged residents to retain their waste at home until the collection vehicle arrives and warned that littering in public places would attract strict fines after the awareness phase.
“I have personally visited towns like Kurali, Kharar and Nangal over the last 10 days, spending two to three hours daily on the ground, and have seen how tirelessly our Safai Sewaks are working. But even the best efforts will fail without citizen cooperation. We must understand that we cannot build cities as clean as those in Japan without civic sense,” he said.
Bains thanked MLAs, Deputy Commissioners, Municipal Commissioners, councillors and sanitation staff for their efforts during the campaign.
He said a detailed analysis of campaign data, along with photographic evidence showing the permanent removal of Garbage Vulnerable Points, would be presented after the campaign concludes.
“This is just the beginning. With the blessings of our elders and the energy of our youth, Punjab will set a new benchmark in urban sanitation,” the Minister said.
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