New Delhi has turned trash into treasure, raking in a staggering ₹4,405.28 crore from scrap sales under the Swachhta Abhiyan since 2021 up to January 2026. The government announced this impressive figure on Monday, highlighting the success of its cleanliness drive in freeing up resources and space across ministries.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) revealed that in the latest phase from December 2025 to January 2026, scrap disposal fetched ₹200.21 crore. During January alone, 5,188 offices nationwide conducted thorough file reviews, weeding out 81,322 unnecessary documents. This effort vacated approximately 4.34 lakh square feet of office space, with the Ministry of Coal leading the charge by freeing 1,88,687 square feet, followed by the Ministry of Heavy Industries at 62,129 square feet.
The 27th edition of ‘Secretariat Reforms’ underscores transformative changes in governance. Last month, scrap sales generated ₹115.85 crore, with key contributions from Railways, Heavy Industries, and Coal ministries. Effective record management saw 1,82,000 physical files reviewed, leading to the disposal of redundant ones.
Public grievances also saw massive resolution, with 5,57,852 complaints (90.41% of total) addressed, alongside 1,032 MP references and 375 state government references. Active file transactions per file dropped significantly from 7.19 in 2021 to 4.31 by January 2026, signaling streamlined operations.
Digital adoption is soaring: 93.81% of new files in January 2026 were e-files, 95.29% of receipts were e-receipts, and 65 ministries achieved over 90% e-file usage. Fifteen ministries hit 100% e-receipts for Republic Day preparations. This blend of physical cleanups and digital shifts is revolutionizing India’s administrative efficiency.