Scrap and waste once left to gather dust in government corridors has been turned into a staggering Rs 3,296 crore, with the Modi government now launching its biggest-ever cleanliness campaign to date.
The savings have been generated over four successive ‘Special Campaigns for Disposal of Pending Matters’ since 2021, according to official figures. The fifth edition, which began on 2 October and will continue till October 31, will cover a record 7.22 lakh office spaces across the country. Officials described it as the largest cleanliness exercise in India’s administrative history.
Cabinet ministers Mansukh Mandaviya, Ram Mohan Naidu and Jitendra Singh have been assigned to monitor the month-long drive. Singh pointed out that “not only has Rs 3,296 crore been earned from earlier such campaigns, but nearly 696 lakh square feet of office space has also been freed up from the waste. Nearly 137 lakh physical files were also weeded out in the last four years.”
Over 800 senior officers from 84 ministries and departments have been tasked with oversight, while ministers will make inspection rounds of offices to ensure compliance. A weekly consolidated report is to be prepared by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) and submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Secretariat.
Also read: PM Modi launches ₹62,000-cr worth youth-centric schemes for Bihar
The initiative has been a recurring theme in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ addresses, where he has called upon ministries to participate with zeal. “This time, rounds will also be taken of offices by cabinet ministers to monitor the drive,” an official said.
The campaign goes beyond clearing clutter. It also involves addressing parliamentary assurances, MPs’ references, public grievances and rationalising existing rules. Authorities said a third-party evaluation of the programme’s qualitative impact would be carried out next month.
The government has reported steady returns from earlier editions: Rs 1,162 crore in the first three years, Rs 551 crore between December 2023 and July 2024, Rs 650 crore in the fourth campaign, and Rs 932 crore between December 2024 and July 2025.
The scrap sales have included obsolete office equipment, vehicles, and heaps of physical files no longer relevant to government functioning. Officials say the revenue generated has also been matched by the release of desperately needed office space.
Follow us
