States, UTs put in over 4,200 entries for most beautiful public spaces competition

In a letter to all states and UTs on July 14, the ministry wrote that the deadline had been extended due to the requests received from several state governments.

City Beauty Competition, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, beautiful public spaces, Indian Express, India news, current affairs

“An extension of the last date has also been considered to ensure better representation across all States, as also to encourage more participation across the four award categories for beautiful public spaces in the cities,” the Ministry wrote.

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

AFTER handing out awards for the cleanest and smartest cities in the past few years, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is preparing to declare the most beautiful public spaces and municipal wards by December, according to officials.

The City Beauty Competition, which was announced in April, has already received 4,259 entries from cities in 28 states and Union Territories, a ministry official said. The deadline for submissions by cities was extended from July 15 to August 15. These entries include submissions for the best ward and most beautiful public spaces across different categories.

In a letter to all states and UTs on July 14, the ministry wrote that the deadline had been extended due to the requests received from several state governments.

According to officials, the idea for holding such a competition came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Chief Secretaries Conference he addressed in Dharamshala in 2022. The ministry already awards the cleanest cities in different categories under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban and the best cities in the Smart Cities Mission.

After the cities complete their online submissions for the beauty competition, state-level third-party evaluators would visit the projects. The best wards would be awarded at the state-level. The best projects in the categories of waterfronts, green spaces, tourist and heritage spaces and markets and commercial places in each state would then be shortlisted for a national-level award.

Among the entries so far are covered marketplaces in Telangana and waterfront redevelopment in Srinagar. States that have submitted many entries include Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, an official said.

Story continues below this ad

The winning cities will not get any monetary prize, but will get to use the tag of having the most beautiful public space, the official said.

Damini Nath

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram