Special Campaign 6.0: Government's Month-Long Swachhata and Pendency-Reduction Drive Launched on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2–31, 2026)

Why in News

Special Campaign 6.0 was launched on October 2, 2026 — coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti — by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. The annual campaign runs from October 2 to October 31, 2026. It focuses on two core objectives: Swachhata (cleanliness and space management in government offices) and reducing pendency in administrative processes, with special emphasis on e-waste management this year.

Background

Special Campaigns in government offices were initiated in 2021 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction to instil a culture of cleanliness, discipline, and responsiveness in the Indian bureaucracy. The campaigns are inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Swachh Bharat and are deliberately launched on Gandhi Jayanti each year.

Current Developments

Phase Structure of Special Campaign 6.0

• Preparatory Phase (September 15–30, 2026): All Ministries/Departments identify targets for disposal of pending references (MP references, Parliamentary Assurances pending over 3 months, PMO references, inter-ministerial references, Cabinet Notes, State Government references, Public Grievances). Space and records identified for clearing.
• Implementation Phase (October 2–31, 2026): Active cleanliness drives, scientific e-waste disposal, time-bound action on all identified pending items.

Key Activities in 2026

• Disposal of pending references from Members of Parliament (MPs) — ensuring timely responses to parliamentary correspondence.
• Clearing Parliamentary Assurances pending for more than three months — assurances made on the floor of Parliament must be fulfilled.
• Disposal of PMO references, inter-ministerial references, and Cabinet Notes.
• Resolution of Public Grievances and Appeals on the CPGRAMS (Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) portal.
• Scientific disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) generated in government offices — segregation and certified recycling through authorised e-waste recyclers.
• Records management: Weeding out obsolete files, digitisation of important records, freeing up office space.

Key Facts

• Coordinating agency: DARPG (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• Duration: October 2–31, 2026 (30 days).
• Scope: All Ministries, Departments, Attached and Subordinate Offices, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), and Autonomous Bodies under the Government of India.
• Platform for grievances: CPGRAMS (Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System).
• E-waste disposal under: E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 (notified by MoEFCC).
• Parliamentary Assurances monitored by: Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs — assurances must be fulfilled within 3 months of being given on the floor.
• Special Campaign 6.0 coincides with the launch of Special Gram Sabhas (People's Plan Campaign 2026-27) and Swachhata Hi Seva fortnight — both observing Gandhi Jayanti.

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 75(3): Council of Ministers collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha — Parliamentary Assurances arise from this accountability; clearing assurance pendency directly fulfils this constitutional obligation.
• Article 78: Duties of Prime Minister — to communicate to the President decisions of the Council of Ministers; CPGRAMS redresses citizen complaints at the executive level.
• Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty): Duty to protect and improve the natural environment — e-waste disposal in Special Campaign 6.0 fulfils this duty for government offices.
• Article 309: Acts of Parliament may regulate recruitment and service conditions of Union employees — the cleanliness and efficiency norms set via Special Campaign translate into administrative service standards.

Legal Framework

• E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 (under Environment Protection Act, 1986): Mandate extended producer responsibility (EPR) and authorised collection/recycling of e-waste — government offices must comply.
• Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI): Pendency in government files directly affects RTI response timelines; Special Campaign helps clear backlog.
• Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure (CSMP): Governs file management, record retention schedules, and disposal of obsolete records — Special Campaign 6.0 operationalises CSMP norms at scale.
• Public Grievances Charter: Each Ministry has a Citizen's Charter with committed response timelines; CPGRAMS monitors compliance; Special Campaign addresses grievance pendency.

Institutional Framework

• DARPG (Nodal Agency): Designs, coordinates, and monitors Special Campaign; publishes daily progress reports on its portal.
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC): Oversees E-Waste (Management) Rules compliance for government e-waste disposal.
• Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs: Tracks Parliamentary Assurances; coordinates with DARPG on pendency.
• CPGRAMS: The unified public grievance portal — real-time tracking of grievance resolution across all Ministries.
• Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs): Participate in the campaign's cleanliness and governance components.

Economic Dimensions

Administrative pendency is a major source of compliance cost for businesses and citizens. Delayed responses to inter-ministerial references and Cabinet Notes slow policy implementation and project approvals, adding to the cost of doing business. The World Bank's Ease of Doing Business index (now B-READY framework) has highlighted administrative responsiveness as a key metric. Special Campaign 6.0's pendency-clearance focus directly reduces this drag. E-waste recycling also generates a small secondary economy — India's e-waste recycling sector is estimated at ₹15,000 crore and growing.

Environmental Dimensions

India generates approximately 4 million metric tonnes of e-waste per year (one of the top 5 globally), but only about 22% is formally recycled under authorised channels. Government offices contribute a disproportionate share of e-waste from ageing IT equipment. Special Campaign 6.0's e-waste emphasis — scientific collection, segregation, and handover to CPCB-authorised recyclers — aligns with India's National Action Plan on E-Waste and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 strengthened Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) with a digital EPR portal.

Way Forward

The 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) — especially its 12th Report on Citizen Centric Administration — recommended reducing grievance redressal timelines to below 30 days and making Citizen's Charters legally binding. DARPG has piloted AI-based grievance categorisation on CPGRAMS to auto-route and escalate stale cases. Sustained institutional change requires converting the annual campaign into a year-round practice — embedding cleanliness, responsiveness, and e-waste compliance in annual performance appraisals of ministries (Annual Performance Reports / Results Framework Document).

Possible Mains Questions

1. Special Campaign 6.0 reflects the government's effort to bring Gandhian values of Swachhata into administrative culture. Critically evaluate its impact on bureaucratic responsiveness and good governance. (GS-II)
2. India generates 4 million metric tonnes of e-waste annually with only 22% formally recycled. Examine the regulatory gaps in India's e-waste management regime and suggest a comprehensive policy roadmap. (GS-III)

Possible Prelims MCQs

1. Special Campaign 6.0 was launched on October 2, 2026 by which department?
   (a) DARPG   (b) NITI Aayog   (c) MoEFCC   (d) Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
   Answer: (a) — DARPG (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances) coordinates the campaign.
2. Which of the following is monitored by CPGRAMS?
   (a) Cabinet Notes   (b) Public Grievances and Appeals   (c) Rajya Sabha Questions   (d) RTI applications
   Answer: (b) — CPGRAMS is the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System for public grievances.

FAQ

Why is Special Campaign launched on October 2 each year?

October 2 is Gandhi Jayanti. The campaign is launched on this date to align with Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Swachh Bharat (Clean India) and to embed cleanliness and administrative discipline in government offices as a tribute to Gandhi's values.

What is CPGRAMS?

CPGRAMS (Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) is an online portal under DARPG that enables citizens to file grievances against Central Government Ministries and PSUs, and tracks their real-time resolution status.

What are Parliamentary Assurances?

Parliamentary Assurances are commitments made by Ministers on the floor of Parliament (Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha) to take a specific action. They must be fulfilled within three months under parliamentary convention; pending assurances beyond this period are a key target of Special Campaign 6.0.

Further Reading

• DARPG — darpg.gov.in
• CPGRAMS — pgportal.gov.in
• PIB press releases on Special Campaign 6.0