The nationwide ‘Swachhta Drive’ initiated by the Central Government has resulted in significant financial gains, generating around Rs 800 crore through the sale of old files and scrap materials. Launched under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s *Swachh Bharat Abhiyan* in 2014, the initiative not only aims to promote cleanliness but also focuses on clearing obsolete materials and files from government offices, thereby improving efficiency and optimizing space utilization.
According to official reports, the latest drive conducted between October 2 and 31 brought in approximately Rs 800 crore—an amount higher than the RS 615 crore budget of India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission. During this period, more than 232 lakh square feet of office space was cleared, and around 29 lakh physical files were disposed of or closed. Since the annual campaign’s inception in 2021, the government has earned nearly Rs 4,100 crore through scrap sales, with over 166.95 lakh files cleared across five clean-up campaigns.
Officials stated that beyond maintaining office cleanliness, the systematic removal of unused materials has enhanced transparency and operational efficiency while contributing to substantial revenue. The campaign has been widely implemented across various central government departments and offices throughout the country.