MeitY’s campaign is part of the government’s broader annual Swachhata drive to embed “cleanliness” into the daily functioning of ministries, departments and affiliated bodies. Under the guidelines issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, the drive focuses on disposal of e-waste, reduction of pendency, optimisation of space, and institutionalisation of record-management practices.
At MeitY, officials have undertaken a meticulous review of record rooms, with nodal officers at division levels assigned to supervise the weeding out of obsolete documents and closure of stagnant e-files. Pending references from Members of Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office, parliamentary assurances and grievances filed by citizens are being specially targeted for expedited resolution.
The Building & Maintenance wing has been instructed to identify scrap materials and e-waste—such as old computers, printers and hardware—for responsible disposal under prevailing environmental norms. Field and outstation offices facing space constraints are receiving special attention so that freed-up areas may be repurposed or reorganised.
MeitY’s internal review mechanisms will be overseen by Joint Secretaries and senior officers, with weekly reviews ensuring alignment to objectives. Officials emphasise that the campaign should yield measurable results rather than symbolic gestures.
MeitY is not alone in this endeavour. The Ministry of Education has already laid out its participation plan: its Department of Higher Education held a multi-stakeholder meeting with over 170 participants to prepare for the campaign, setting targets for disposal of obsolete materials, record management, and resolution of pending references.
In parallel, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, having closed its Special Campaign 4.0 with quantifiable outcomes in grievance disposal, office cleanliness and space optimisation, is gearing up to shift focus to e-waste disposal and enhanced public service redressal under Campaign 5.0.
Guidelines from DARPG emphasise that Special Campaign 5.0 will span two distinct phases: a preparatory period and an action phase. The campaign’s scope extends across all ministries, departments, attached and subordinate offices, PSUs and autonomous organisations. Key metrics will include number of files weeded out, closure of e-files, e-waste disposed, space freed, revenue from scrap and pendency reduction.
Officials will upload daily progress to a central SCDPM portal, aided by photo and video documentation of “before and after” states of offices. A third-party audit will be conducted from 17 to 30 November to assess qualitative outcomes and sustainability of improvements.
Analysts suggest that the campaign’s true test lies in its follow-through: preventing backsliding after the campaign window closes, institutionalising digital processes, and embedding accountability in every tier. Observers note that while past campaigns have yielded visible gains, many offices reverted to old habits afterwards. This year’s emphasis on e-waste, stricter daily monitoring and third-party audits aim to reduce that risk.