Atal Shresth Shahar Yojna
Atal Shresth Shahar Yojna (ASSY)
The Atal Shresth Shahar Yojna (ASSY) is a progressive initiative by the Government of Himachal Pradesh aimed at enhancing urban sanitation and infrastructure. Launched on April 1, 2018, by the Urban Development Department, this scheme seeks to recognize and reward outstanding Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) based on their performance in various sanitation and public service metrics.
Overview of the Scheme
The ASSY initiative focuses on identifying the top-performing Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats in Himachal Pradesh by evaluating their effectiveness in sanitation, cleanliness, utilization of public infrastructure, and overall governance. This scheme encourages ULBs to strive for excellence, with annual cash prizes awarded to the best performers. The awards, known as the “Atal Shrestha Shahar Puruskar,” are presented every year on December 25, coinciding with the birth anniversary of the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India.
Fund Distribution
| Component | Total Allocation (in Lacs) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Prize Distribution | ₹500.00 | Every year: Requirement for Each Year |
| A&OE Fund including Prize Distribution function | ₹10.00 | Every year: A&OE will be based on actual expenditure every year |
| Third Party Agency (TPA) | ₹15.00 | Every year: TPA expenditure will be based on the quoted cost |
| Online Platform with Annual Maintenance Cost (AMC) for 5 years | ₹15.00 | One time: Online platform cost; Every year: AMC as per actuals |
| Total | ₹540.00 |
Benefits of the Scheme
The incentive structure for the ASSY prize winners is as follows:
| Prize | Municipal Corporation (₹) | Municipal Council (₹) | Nagar Panchayat (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Prize | 1,25,00,000/- | 1,00,00,000/- | 75,00,000/- |
| 2nd Prize | — | 75,00,000/- | 50,00,000/- |
| 3rd Prize | — | 50,00,000/- | 25,00,000/- |
Note: In case of a tie, the prize money will be equally distributed among the ULBs with identical scores.
Usage of Award Funds
- The prize money is granted to the winning ULBs as an untied fund.
- This fund cannot be included in the ULBs’ income.
- It cannot be used for salaries or wages of ULB employees.
- Winning ULBs can create a scheme to reward employees for their exceptional contributions, with individual awards not exceeding ₹5,000.
Eligibility Requirements
- All Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Himachal Pradesh are eligible to participate.
- Participation is mandatory for all ULBs, irrespective of previous wins.
- ULBs that make false claims will face penalties, including grant deductions and disciplinary measures.
Performance Indicators for Assessment
| Indicator | Max Score |
|---|---|
| Swachh Survekshan Parameter | As prescribed by GoI annually |
| Public Service Delivery | 1500 |
| Increase in Income | 2000 |
| Fund Utilization | 1500 |
| Public Infrastructure | 500 |
| Audit Paras Settlement and Audited Account | 1000 |
The ranking of ULBs will be based on their scores in the Swachh Survekshan from the previous year and the other five state parameters. ULBs must submit their self-assessment claims online by the specified deadline each year.
Application Procedure
Online Application Steps
- Step 1: ULBs must submit claims through the prescribed online application form along with necessary supporting documents before September 30 each year.
- Step 2: An online report will be generated based on the submitted claims and forwarded for approval for field verification.
- Step 3: The Third Party Agency will conduct field inspections for the top two Municipal Corporations, and the top six Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats.
- Step 4: ULBs will be granted additional time to correct any clerical errors identified during the verification process.
Assessment Process Steps
- Step 1: Field verification will be carried out by the Third Party Agency to validate the claims of the top-scoring ULBs.
- Step 2: The Department will engage a Third Party Agency for actual claim verification.
- Step 3: The Third Party Agency has the authority to request supporting documents to verify any claims.
- Step 4: Confidentiality is crucial, and the Third Party Agency must not disclose any related information.
- Step 5: The Director of Urban Development retains the right to request additional documents from the Third Party Agency.
Benefits
Incentive Pattern:
The incentive pattern for ASSY prize winners i.e. Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat will be as under:
PrizeMunicipal Corporation (₹)Municipal Council (₹)Nagar Panchayat (₹)
1st Prize1,25,00,000/-1,00,00,000/-75,00,000/-
2nd Prize---75,00,000/-50,00,000/-
3rd Prize---50,00,000/-25,00,000/-
Note: In case of a tie for a particular position, the prize money will be distributed equally amongst equal-scoring ULBs.
Spending of Award Money:
The award money shall be given to the winning ULBs as an un-tied grant.
The award money shall not form part of the income of the ULBs.
The award money will not be spent on payment of salaries/wages etc. of the ULBs employee.
The winning ULB may formulate a scheme to reward its employee(s) for their outstanding contribution in the performance of ULB or for his/her contribution towards a particular category/indicator. The scheme may contain a prize of upto ₹5,000/-. One employee can be considered for a prize under one or more categories/indicators but the maximum prize money for an individual shall not exceed ₹5,000/- irrespective of the number of categories for which he/she is being rewarded.
Application Process
Apply Online
Screening Procedure:
Step 01: To apply for ASSY, ULBs will submit the claims online
on the prescribed application form as per Annexure-A
along with the necessary supporting documents wherever required on or before the 30th of September every year.
Step 02: On the basis of claims submitted by ULBs a report will be generated by the online platform and the report so generated will be submitted to the authorities for approval of field verification.
Step 03: The field verification/inspection of top scoring two (2) Municipal Corporations, top six (6) Municipal Councils, and top six (6) Nagar Panchayats will be made by the Third Party Agency.
Step 04: To rectify any clerical mistake, the Department will give additional time to ULBs for rectification.
Assessment Procedure:
Step 01: Field assessment/verification shall be done to verify the claims of top-scoring ULBs by the “Third Party Agency”.
Step 02: Third third-party agency (TPA) will be hired by the Department for the actual verification of claims at the field level.
Step 03: TPA has the right to call for supporting documents/additional documents to verify the claim of any participating ULB.
Step 04: It will be obligatory on the Third Party Agency that no information on this subject will be shared/disclosed anywhere.
Step 05: The Director, Urban Development reserves the right to call for any supporting/additional documents from TPA relating to inspected ULBs in case of any doubt.
Step 06: Based on the scrutiny of claims of ULBs by TPA, Director, Urban Development will recommend the names of the ULB(s) to the state-level Apex Committee for final approval.
Step 07: The final declaration/announcement of the winning Urban Local Bodies will be made by the State Level Apex Committee constituted for “Atal Shresth Shahar Yojna” to be headed by Additional Chief Secretary/ Pr. Secy./ Secy. (UD) to the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
Step 08: The decision made by the Apex committee will be deemed final and no appeal is admissible in this regard.
Timeline:
The competition shall take place every year and prize will be distributed to winning ULBs on 25th December every year on the birth anniversary of Late Sh. Atal Bihari Vajapyee (former Prime Minister of India).
The activity timeline will be as under:-
ActivityTimeline
Submission of claims by ULBs30th of September every year
Screening Process20th of October every year
Field assessment/Verification by TPA20th of November every year
Prize Distribution 25th December every year*
*Note: * Due to any circumstances, if the function could not be celebrated on above date the same can be held on other date as per decision of the Government.
References & Official Links
Scheme Details
| Full Name | Atal Shresth Shahar Yojna |
| Short Title | ASSY |
| Level | State |
| Scheme For | Infra |
| Ministry | Ministry of Education |
| Categories | Utility & Sanitation |
| States | Himachal Pradesh |
| Gender | All |
| Area | Both |
| Source | www.myscheme.gov.in ↗ |
Deepika Raikwar · 📅 28 Mar 2026
Deepika Raikwar is an Education Analyst and scholarship researcher who focuses on public welfare and merit-based scholarships. She simplifies complex eligibility rules, deadlines, and application processes to help common people access reliable funding opportunities worldwide.
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