DBT Begins Special Campaign 6 With E-Waste Disposal Drive
The Department of Biotechnology joined Special Campaign 6, which runs from 2 to 31 October 2026, earning Rs 39,33,055 from disposal of e-waste and scrap.

Why in News
On 8 October 2026 the Department of Biotechnology set out its work under Special Campaign 6, the Centre’s cleanliness and e-waste disposal drive for 2 to 31 October 2026, including revenue of Rs 39,33,055 from scrap disposal.
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has taken up Special Campaign 6, the government-wide drive for cleanliness and the disposal of electronic waste that runs from 2 to 31 October 2026. The campaign is coordinated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, and DBT is carrying it out with its scientific cadre units, divisions, autonomous institutions and public sector undertakings. The Secretary and the Joint Secretary, who is the nodal officer, are reviewing progress regularly, with the aim of fully meeting targets on pendency, record management and coverage of every campaign site.
The targets set in the preparatory phase
During the preparatory phase from 15 to 30 September 2026, the Department fixed a set of measurable goals. It took up the review and sorting of 18,741 e-files and 7,773 physical files, cleanliness and space-clearing work at 156 sites to release 46,486 square feet of usable space, and the disposal of 1,694 e-waste items, which together with non-electronic scrap brought in revenue of Rs 39,33,055.
| E-files reviewed | 18,741 |
| Physical files reviewed | 7,773 |
| Sites covered | 156 |
| Usable space created | 46,486 square feet |
| E-waste items disposed | 1,694 |
| Revenue earned | Rs 39,33,055 |
Activities on the ground
DBT observed Swachh Bharat Diwas on 2 October 2026 with an e-waste disposal drive led by the Secretary at the Department’s headquarters in the CGO Complex in Delhi. A day earlier, on 1 October 2026, a special one-hour mass cleanliness drive called Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath was held in a public park near the JLN Metro Station under the chairpersonship of Joint Secretary (Administration) Ekta Vishnoi, followed by the planting of saplings under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative.
Waste to art and health camps
Under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, the Department organised Kabbad Se Kala, a waste-to-art activity on the theme Swachhata Se Samridhi, in which discarded material was turned into display pieces. A cleanliness drive on the Jan Bhagidari theme was held at the DBT Secretariat, and SafaiMitra Suraksha Evam Samman Shivirs were organised for preventive health check-ups and medical advice for sanitation workers and their dependents. Before-and-after photographs of each site are being uploaded to the SCDPM portal.
Important Facts
| Campaign | Special Campaign 6, for cleanliness and disposal of e-waste |
|---|---|
| Period | 2 to 31 October 2026 |
| Coordinated by | Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances |
| Department covered | Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology |
| Preparatory phase | 15 to 30 September 2026 |
| Files taken up | 18,741 e-files and 7,773 physical files |
| Sites and space | 156 sites; 46,486 square feet of usable space |
| E-waste disposed | 1,694 items |
| Revenue earned | Rs 39,33,055 |
| Special drive | Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath on 1 October 2026, near JLN Metro Station |
| Monitoring portal | SCDPM portal, for before-and-after photographs |
Exam Point of View
Remember that Special Campaign 6 runs from 2 to 31 October 2026 and is coordinated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, with the preparatory phase from 15 to 30 September 2026. Learn the DBT figures: 18,741 e-files, 7,773 physical files, 156 sites, 46,486 square feet freed, 1,694 e-waste items and Rs 39,33,055 of revenue. Note Swachh Bharat Diwas on 2 October and the SCDPM portal.
Practice Questions
During which period is Special Campaign 6 for cleanliness and e-waste disposal being carried out?
- A.15 to 30 September 2026
- B.2 to 31 October 2026
- C.1 to 15 November 2026
- D.2 to 31 December 2026
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is 2 to 31 October 2026. That is the implementation period announced by the government for the sixth edition of the special campaign, under which departments clear pendency, manage records and dispose of electronic waste. Option A names the preparatory phase, which ran from 15 to 30 September 2026 and was used to set targets rather than to implement them, so it is a careful distractor. Options C and D give periods that were not announced. In the case of the Department of Biotechnology, the drive is being carried out along with its scientific cadre units, divisions, autonomous institutions and public sector undertakings, and the Secretary along with the Joint Secretary who serves as nodal officer is reviewing progress. The campaign itself is coordinated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
How much revenue did the Department of Biotechnology earn from the disposal of e-waste and other scrap under Special Campaign 6?
- A.Rs 12,45,600
- B.Rs 39,33,055
- C.Rs 56,80,120
- D.Rs 1,04,70,000
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is Rs 39,33,055. The figure came from the disposal of electronic waste together with non-electronic scrap, and it sits alongside a set of other targets fixed in the preparatory phase: the review of 18,741 electronic files and 7,773 physical files, cleanliness and space-clearing work at 156 sites, the release of 46,486 square feet of usable space, and the disposal of 1,694 items of e-waste. Options A, C and D are amounts that were not reported. The department framed the exercise as creating both financial value for the public exchequer and usable space for government offices, and progress is being recorded through before-and-after photographs uploaded to the SCDPM portal. Candidates should learn these figures as one cluster, since the campaign is reported department by department.
On which day did the Department of Biotechnology observe Swachh Bharat Diwas with an e-waste disposal drive?
- A.1 October 2026
- B.2 October 2026
- C.15 September 2026
- D.31 October 2026
Show answer
Explanation
The correct answer is 2 October 2026. The department marked Swachh Bharat Diwas on that day with an e-waste disposal drive led by the Secretary at its headquarters in the CGO Complex in Delhi, where officers were urged to identify and dispose of obsolete items and unserviceable material both at work and at home. Option A, 1 October 2026, is the date of a different activity, the one-hour mass cleanliness drive named Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath held in a public park near the JLN Metro Station and followed by sapling plantation under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam. Option C is within the preparatory phase and option D is the closing date of the campaign, neither of which matches. The department also held a waste-to-art activity called Kabbad Se Kala on the theme Swachhata Se Samridhi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the duration of Special Campaign 6?
It runs from 2 to 31 October 2026, with a preparatory phase from 15 to 30 September 2026. The drive, for cleanliness and the disposal of e-waste, is coordinated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
How much revenue did the Department of Biotechnology earn from disposal?
Rs 39,33,055 from the disposal of e-waste and non-electronic scrap. The department also disposed of 1,694 e-waste items and freed 46,486 square feet of usable space across 156 sites.
What was Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath?
A one-hour mass cleanliness drive held on 1 October 2026 in a public park near the JLN Metro Station, chaired by Joint Secretary (Administration) Ekta Vishnoi, followed by sapling plantation under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.
Sources
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2320730 (opens in a new tab) — Press Information Bureau
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