New Delhi, Nov 9 – In a clear‑cut rundown, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh revealed that India’s cleanliness drive, called the Special Swachhata campaign, has amassed more than Rs 4,085 crore since 2021. The money came from selling scrap—especially electronic waste—from federal offices during five one‑month campaigns, each kicking off on October 2, the national Gandhi Jayanti.
The minister also said the clean‑up freed a staggering 231.75 lakh square feet of space that had been clogged with junk, old furniture and discarded materials. “That amount of space could host a huge mall or a major commercial project,” Singh said, comparing the cash haul to the budget of a Chandrayaan mission.
Singh traced the initiative back to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2017 Independence Day call from the Red Fort, which sparked the country’s first major Swachhata push. Over 400,000 toilets were built in the first year, and the government began clearing old files and broken furniture from ministries.
In 2021, Modi directed that the month from October 2 to 31 become a dedicated “Special Swachhata” period. All ministries were required to report progress. Over the past few years, electronic scrap has become a big revenue stream. Last year’s campaign (Special Swachhata 4.0) brought in about Rs 3,300 crore. Adding this year’s output (Special Swachhata 5.0) of Rs 788.53 crore pushes the total to just over Rs 4,085 crore.
The 2025 effort also aligned with the Ministry of Science & Technology’s “Waste to Wealth” programmes. For example, CSIR‑NIIST’s system recycles hospital waste at AIIMS New Delhi, CSIR‑IIP Dehradun turns used cooking oil into valuable product, and CSIR‑CRRI New Delhi uses steel sludge for road building.
Dr Singh’s figures underline a growing trend: tying government cleanliness drives to economic gain through recycling and waste management while clearing space for future development. The Ministry plans to keep the momentum going each October, turning every month into a profitable, cleaner India.
Source: ianslive
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