Centre Earns ₹4,085 Crore from Scrap Sale Under Cleanliness Campaigns Since 2021

231.75 lakh sq ft space freed for productive use; Dr Jitendra Singh calls it a model of “waste to wealth” governance

Ziraat Times News Desk

New Delhi: The Central Government has generated a record ₹4,085 crore and 24 lakh in revenue from the sale of scrap, including electronic waste, collected during five annual Special Swachhata Campaigns conducted since 2021. The campaigns, each lasting a month, were undertaken across all central ministries and departments to promote cleanliness, efficiency, and optimal use of office space.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Minister of State for the PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh announced the figures today, highlighting that the drive not only produced significant revenue but also freed 231.75 lakh square feet of office space previously blocked by obsolete files, broken furniture, and unused materials.

“Interestingly, the amount of over ₹4,085 crore earned by selling off the scrap could match the total budget of one mega space mission or multiple Chandrayaan missions,” Dr. Singh remarked, adding that the cleared space could accommodate a large commercial complex or other major infrastructure projects.

He traced the origins of the campaign to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Swachhata’ during his first Independence Day address in 2014, which sparked a mass movement across the country. The government later expanded the initiative to include decluttering of office spaces by clearing redundant files and materials.

Providing a timeline of progress, Dr. Singh explained that Special Swachhata Campaign 4.0 held last year had generated around ₹3,300 crore, and this year’s Campaign 5.0 — conducted between October 2 and 31, 2025 — added another ₹788.53 crore, taking the cumulative total to over ₹4,085 crore.

The minister said that the campaigns have increasingly focused on the disposal of electronic scrap (e-waste), enabling both revenue generation and environmentally responsible recycling. “This is a true example of transforming waste into wealth,” he said.

Dr. Singh also highlighted innovative “Waste to Wealth” initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Science and Technology, which include:

• Recycling of hospital waste through technology developed by CSIR-NIIST Thiruvananthapuram and deployed at AIIMS New Delhi.

• Recycling of used cooking oil by CSIR-IIP Dehradun.

• Utilisation of steel sludge for road construction using technology developed by CSIR-CRRI New Delhi.

“These initiatives demonstrate how scientific innovation can turn waste management into an opportunity for sustainability and economic gain,” Dr. Singh said.

He reaffirmed that the Special Swachhata Campaign will continue as an annual exercise across all government departments, encouraging efficiency, environmental responsibility, and the optimal use of public assets.

(Source: PIB, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Government of India)