New Delhi: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Sunday announced that the Special Swachhata Campaign has generated a total revenue of Rs 4,085 crore and 24 lakh so far, through the disposal of scrap—including electronic waste—from various Central government offices. The revenue was collected over five annual month-long cleanliness drives conducted every October since 2021.
In a post on X, Dr. Singh shared, “The Special Swachhata Campaign has, so far, earned Rs 4,085 crore and 24 lakh through five dedicated annual cleanliness campaigns lasting one month each, every October, since 2021, by disposing of scrap, including e-waste, from different Central government offices.”
He further informed that 231.75 lakh square feet of office space had been freed for productive use—space that was previously occupied by obsolete furniture, scrap, and other waste materials.
Dr. Singh underlined that the campaign draws inspiration from the mass cleanliness movement launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his historic “Swachhata” call from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
He also noted, “Interestingly, the Rs 4,085 crore earned through the sale of scrap is equivalent to the budget of one major space mission—or even multiple Chandrayaan missions—while the freed space could accommodate a large commercial complex or similar infrastructure for economic activity.”
Highlighting related initiatives, the Minister said that the Ministry of Science & Technology has been implementing extensive “Waste to Wealth” programs. These include:
Recycling of hospital waste using technology developed by CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram, deployed at AIIMS New Delhi.
Recycling of used cooking oil undertaken by CSIR-IIP, Dehradun.
Utilization of steel sludge for road construction through technology developed by CSIR-CRRI, New Delhi.
The latest phase, Special Campaign 5.0, launched on September 15, 2025, concluded on October 31, after extensive cleanliness and disposal activities across the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and its field units, including Licensed Service Areas (LSAs), Controller of Communication Accounts (CCAs), and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
