Union Minister Jitendra Singh launches web portal for Special Campaign 5.0 to improve Swachhata in government offices

New Delhi [India], September 16 (ANI): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh, on Tuesday, launched the dedicated Web Portal for Special Campaign 5.0, aimed at further institutionalising Swachhata and reducing pendency across Government offices.
According to a release from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, highlighting the achievements of the campaign over the last five years, Singh informed that a cumulative revenue of Rs 3,296.71 crore has been generated through the disposal of office waste, which also resulted in the freeing of 696.27 lakh sq. ft. of office space across Ministries and Departments. In addition, 12.04 lakh cleanliness sites were identified and 137.86 lakh files were closed or weeded out, thereby creating both financial and administrative efficiency.
Calling it a "hallmark of the Government that foundational issues have been brought into focus," Jitendra Singh said the Special Campaign reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of not only promoting cleanliness but also enhancing administrative productivity.
The Minister informed that the campaign will be conducted in two phases this year: the Preparatory Phase from 16th-30th September 2025, followed by the Implementation Phase from 2nd-31st October 2025.
A third-party evaluation will be undertaken from 15th to 30th November 2025 to assess the qualitative impact and sustainability of the measures adopted. Weekly reviews will be carried out by all Secretaries and Nodal Officers, and consolidated reports will be submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat and the PMO by DARPG.
V. Srinivas, Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), underlined the scale of achievements under the campaign, noting the freeing of 696.27 lakh sq. ft. of office space and identification of 12.04 lakh cleanliness sites, while stressing the institutionalisation of Swachhata as a governance priority.
The campaign's thrust areas will be closely monitored through a single digital platform and will include systematic e-waste disposal--covering unserviceable computers, laptops, printers, LEDs, and e-display boards; timely disposal of pending matters such as MPs' References, Parliamentary Assurances, PMO and IMC References, as well as State Government References; effective resolution of Public Grievances and improvement in Record Management practices; and comprehensive office cleanliness drives coupled with space optimization to ensure efficiency and sustainability in government functioning.
Several Ministries and Departments also presented their achievements under previous campaigns.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, highlighted that through the Vidyanjali Portal, the Cabinet Secretariat donated digital devices to schools, including 100 monitors, 100 CPUs, 88 keyboards, and 117 mice. At the NVS headquarters alone, 1,44,337 sq. ft. of space was freed through scrap disposal and file weeding. The initiative is now being scaled up to cover 14.71 lakh schools across India.
Vandita Kaul, Secretary, Department of Posts, stated that with a steady increase in campaign sites across the country, 1 lakh sites were covered under Campaign 4.0. She further informed that public grievance resolution has also risen steadily, nearly touching the mark of 80,000 during the last campaign.
Aruna Nayar, Secretary, Railway Board, informed that under Special Campaign 4.0, Indian Railways installed 3,33,191 bio-toilets in passenger coaches, 19 Waste-to-Energy plants, 234 Waste-to-Compost plants, 142 Sewage Treatment Plants, 86 Effluent Treatment Plants, and 203 Material Recovery Facilities. The Railways also collaborated with municipal bodies for effective local waste disposal, enforced a ban on single-use plastic, and installed Plastic Bottle Crushing Machines at 531 stations. Additionally, two-bin dustbins for waste segregation were placed at 725 locations.
Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, reported that the Ministry ensured disposal of e-waste generated as per the E-Waste Management Rules 2022 of MoEFCC. Innovative ideas were implemented in public service delivery, such as Samadhan Kendras and Information Kiosks. Best practices from previous campaigns, like converting plastic to paver tiles, are now being replicated across CPSEs. Field offices have also been made single-use plastic-free (eliminating plastic bottles, glasses, folders, and cups), while freed-up space from scrap and waste is being utilised efficiently, thereby bringing about perceptible changes in citizen and stakeholder experiences.
Concluding the session, Jitendra Singh emphasised that Special Campaign 5.0 is not only about cleanliness but also about creating a larger Socio-economic impact and transforming governance through efficient record management, optimal space utilisation, and sustainability of reforms. (ANI)