Sat Sep 13 18:08:45 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, framed with a focus on Andhra Pradesh’s new cleanliness initiative:
**Andhra Pradesh to Launch State-Level Cleanliness Awards, Build on National Success**
**VIJAYAWADA –** Andhra Pradesh is set to introduce its own state-level cleanliness awards, mirroring the prestigious national Swachh Survekshan Awards. Swachha Andhra Corporation (SAC) Chairman K. Pattabhi Ram announced the initiative on Saturday, stating that the government aims to foster a competitive spirit and further elevate sanitation standards across the state.
Speaking at a training session organized by Geostat Informatics, Mr. Pattabhi Ram revealed that the inaugural “Swachha Andhra Awards” will recognize excellence in 16 categories, with 52 awards slated to be presented in the first phase. This move follows Andhra Pradesh’s recent success in securing five national cleanliness awards.
“The goal is to raise the bar in maintaining cleanliness and sanitation across the state,” Mr. Pattabhi Ram explained, adding that the government also plans to incentivize those who demonstrate exceptional implementation of sanitation programs.
The state government has also focused on clearing backlog of waste and on establishing new waste processing units to process waste daily, and new waste-to-energy plants are being set up to generate power from waste.
The training session was attended by Geostat Informatics MD Vivek Reddy and senior officials from the SAC.
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