According to the Swachh Survekshan 2023 rankings, Kanpur has significantly improved, moving up to the 18th rank out of 48 cities in the nation having a population of more than 10 lakh and a municipal corporation. In 2022, the city came in at position 29.

Mayor Pramila Pandey expressed her happiness at the higher position and commended KMC and its residents for their combined efforts. She emphasised that in order to be at the top of the list, one must work hard. This year, she added, KMC and its staff made a commitment to cleanliness, which led to an improved ranking. The mayor also exhorted people to actively take part in the effort to maintain their city's cleanliness. As of the survey's release, Uttar Pradesh features 13 municipal corporation cities with Noida achieving the 14th spot among the top 20 cleanest cities of India.

The Government of India launched the Swachh Bharat Mission, sometimes referred to as the Clean India Mission or Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, on October 2, 2014. Its objectives are to create Open Defecation Free (ODF) villages, improve solid waste management, and end open defecation.