Modi government earns Rs 800 crore from scrap, more than Chandrayaan-3’s moon mission cost: Report

The drive freed up a record 232 lakh sq ft of office space and weeded out over 29 lakh old physical files, marking the most extensive cleanup since the initiative began.

The Narendra Modi government’s month-long cleanliness drive didn’t just declutter offices, it turned trash into treasure. The Centre earned Rs 800 crore from selling scrap in October alone, more than the Rs 615 crore spent on India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission that made history this year.

According to a News18 report, this year’s figure brings total government earnings from scrap sales to nearly Rs 4,100 crore since the first special campaign launched in 2021.

The biggest drive yet

Held between October 2 and 31, the 2025 campaign was the largest so far, both in scale and impact. Nearly 11.58 lakh government sites were covered across ministries, missions abroad, and public offices. The drive freed up a record 232 lakh sq ft of office space and weeded out over 29 lakh old physical files, marking the most extensive cleanup since the initiative began.

The campaign was coordinated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DAR&PG) and overseen by senior ministers Mansukh Mandaviya, K Ram Mohan Naidu, and Dr Jitendra Singh. Effective coordination among 84 ministries and departments ensured the exercise went beyond routine spring-cleaning, turning into a large-scale efficiency push across the bureaucracy.

Five years of 'Swachhata' and systemic change

Between 2021 and 2025, five such special campaigns have been conducted, each expanding the government’s focus on 'swachhata' (cleanliness), reducing file pendency, and modernising workspaces.

In total, the campaigns have:

• Covered 23.62 lakh offices across the country
• Freed 928.84 lakh sq ft of office space
• Weeded out or closed 166.95 lakh files
• Generated Rs 4,097 crore through scrap sales

The effort has not only streamlined record-keeping but also created a new culture of accountability within ministries.

Cabinet ministers and ministers of state reviewed progress throughout October, holding regular staff interactions and a ministerial review on pending public grievances. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally urged ministries to maintain momentum beyond the campaign period, turning 'Swachhata' into a permanent governance practice rather than an annual ritual.