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New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) In a major success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a cleaner and more efficient India, the ongoing Special Cleanliness Drive 5.0 has generated Rs 387 crore through scrap disposal in just three weeks, with estimates reaching Rs 8,000-10,000 crore by its conclusion on October 31.
Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, hailed the initiative as a transformative “Waste to Wealth” campaign which has freed up over 148 lakh square feet of valuable office space covering over 5.5 lakh sites across the country.
Launched under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) on October 2 – Gandhi Jayanti, the month-long campaign is based on the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan of 2014, evolving from basic sanitation efforts to innovative resource recovery and efficiency enhancement.
Dr Singh, who reviewed the progress of the campaign during the high-level Group of Ministers meeting, highlighted its role in promoting behavior change, fiscal prudence and clean governance. He shared key updates via a detailed post on X on Monday, including visuals of cleaned up workplaces that underlined the real impact of the campaign.
Dr Singh urged the ministries to post, “In the campaign running from October 2 to 31, data from the first three weeks shows that so far, Rs 387 crore has been earned by disposing of scrap, and this figure is likely to go up to around Rs 8,000-10,000 crore by the time the four-week campaign comes to a close. More than 148 lakh square feet of space has been freed so far – a testament to the collective resolve.” And state governments will adopt tech-driven methods like AI-assisted inventory audits to improve efficiency.
“This is not just about cleanliness; it is about converting waste into wealth, in line with Prime Minister Modi’s progressive blueprint of a developed India,” he said. He called for widespread adoption of best practices like e-waste auction and systematic document shredding across departments.
Early data from the campaign underlines its strong momentum. The scrap obtained from obsolete files, electronics and machinery has not only boosted government revenue but also reclaimed prime real estate for productive use.
For example, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) contributed Rs 30 lakh by freeing up about 600 square meters of space at its Mausam Bhawan headquarters and auctioning old weather equipment. Similarly, at Sardar Patel Bhawan of DARPG, hundreds of paper and e-files were digitized and closed, generating additional revenue from the separated electronic scrap.
Nationally, the campaign has led to the disposal of tonnes of redundant assets, significantly reducing storage costs and the government’s environmental footprint. The fifth edition of the Special Cleanliness Drive also marked a milestone in clean governance, with over 48 ‘Safai Mitras’ honored across departments for their exemplary grassroots contribution.
As the campaign enters its final weeks, experts believe its success under the ‘Waste to Wealth’ model will inspire similar large-scale initiatives in public sector undertakings, potentially unlocking billions of dollars in untapped value.
With the National Unity Day and campaign concluding on 31st October, this initiative reaffirms that cleanliness has evolved beyond a seasonal phenomenon – becoming a national ethos and a permanent revolution for a cleaner, more efficient India.
–IANS
SKTR/PGH