Chouhan Calls for Cleanliness Beyond Campaigns

• Chouhan calls for cleanliness to become a daily practice.
• Officials urged to lead cleanliness efforts by example.
• Rural communities, farmers and sanitation workers to be involved.
• Special campaign to focus on files, scrap, e-waste and office space.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st Oct: Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday called for cleanliness to become part of everyday public behaviour rather than remain limited to designated campaigns.

Addressing a virtual meeting with Secretaries and senior officials of the Agriculture and Rural Development ministries, Chouhan stressed sustained public participation, behavioural change and measurable outcomes in cleanliness activities.

Chouhan said Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 should involve extensive participation across offices, workplaces, field establishments, villages and panchayats. He urged officials and employees to take personal initiative instead of treating cleanliness activities merely as an official requirement.

The minister directed that cleanliness drives should deliver visible and measurable results. He called for systematic documentation, including before-and-after photographs wherever possible, so that the impact of activities can be assessed.

The meeting reviewed cleanliness initiatives undertaken by the Department of Agriculture from September 16 to October 2. These included cleanliness pledges, Swachh Pathshala activities, solid-waste management, office cleaning drives and disposal of old furniture and electronic waste.

Officials informed the meeting that the disposal and auction of old furniture and electronic waste had generated approximately ₹15 lakh in revenue. Employees also participated in cleanliness drives through shramdaan.

The meeting also discussed the Special Campaign from October 2 to October 31, 2026, which will focus on disposal of pending files and cases, scrap and e-waste, reduction of pendency, better utilisation of office space and removal of unusable material.

The Department of Agricultural Research and Education and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) reported large-scale cleanliness activities at the Pusa campus and across ICAR institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The KVK network is also being used to connect farmers and rural communities with cleanliness, waste management and environmental awareness.

Chouhan said the success of cleanliness initiatives should ultimately be reflected in behavioural change, public participation and sustainable outcomes, rather than merely completion of activities during a campaign period.